“The visionary starts with a clean sheet of paper, and re-imagines the world,” Malcolm Gladwell.

Prof Vajja Samba Siva Rao, a visionary and the new Vice-Chancellor of SRM AP commenced his quest for knowledge as an avid researcher at BITS Pilani, India. He re-imagined the world of education, envisioning opportunities that were invisible to others. It is this foresight he brings to the New Age University- SRM University AP- Andhra Pradesh.

Prof. Rao’s academic achievements began at BITS, Pilani as a student of M.Sc followed by CSIR Junior Research Fellow and continued in various capacities for over four decades. It led to the foundation of BITS Pilani, Hyderabad campus, which made giant leaps quickly and earned him the glory as an institution-builder.

Prof. Rao’s dream of making a difference through Deep Industry Engagement to education lies at the core of his philosophy. This passion, coupled with his vast experience, constitutes his productive wisdom culminating in winning many accolades which includes the Eminent Educationist Award by Indo Global Education Council.

Amongst Prof. Rao’s many pioneering initiatives, was, the establishment of a University centred on its industry relationships. As the President of NIIT University, he pioneered the implementation of new programmes and digital learning approach and simultaneously fostered several industry linkages that have benefitted the students immensely.

Throughout his career, Prof. Rao has been committed to knowledge creation through research. He has guided PhD scholars and students in their research pursuits and published papers around the world. He was invited by the German Foundation for International Development for a training programme in Vocational Education and obtained a certificate in Educational Planning and Economics from the University of Bielefeld, Germany.

Currently, Prof. Rao is on the advisory board of several institutions and universities across the country. He is also a member of many prestigious national and global committees. As SRM AP embarks on an exciting phase with its growing reputation for innovation, cutting edge research, and interdisciplinary studies, Prof. Rao has the experience and the vision to make it a globally connected, nationally relevant, and regionally transformative university.

From the classic Blade Runner to iRobot, Her to the eponymous AI, our fascination about Artificial Intelligence has been detailed in many blockbuster movies across decades. But curiosity too breeds contempt. In this instance, it has led to the fear that AI will make human workforce redundant in many industry sectors. But it’s a fear that has been assuaged by many global experts. In fact, the World Economic Forum has gone as far as to predict that AI may lead to a net increase of 58 million jobs globally.

“Some people call it Artificial Intelligence. But the reality is, this technology will enhance us. So, instead of Artificial Intelligence, I think we will augment our intelligence,” claimed Ginni Rometty, CEO, IBM. At any rate, AI has the potential of causing the most powerful industry disruptions and innovations. We are already seeing popular examples in the form of self-driven cars, diagnosis and surgeries in healthcare, and the presence of robotic assistants in people’s homes. The opportunities are bound to be limitless.

Why AI and new technologies are integral to modern higher education

According to an Ernst & Young report, more than half of senior AI professionals believe there is a skill gap in the recruitment of new scientists, which has led to a talent crisis. New technologies including AI, Machine Learning, Blockchain will see a growing demand for professionals in times to come. Hence gaining knowledge and practical exposure in these areas has to be seen as a way of future-proofing your careers. It’s interesting to note that the careers in these new-age technologies are not reserved for students with tech background alone.

“I don’t think we need to prepare all students to be programmers or developers. But even future MBAs should be able to communicate with tech professionals with some insights into the area,” says Prof. Allen Huang, HKUST, MBA. He cites the example of top listed companies and the majority of economic drivers, which largely belong to the tech industry. The revolution of new technologies is here. And higher learning institutions can serve their students well and keep them ahead of the learning curve by introducing cutting edge courses into their curriculum.

AI careers of today and tomorrow

INDEED, a leading global job site, reports a whopping 344% growth in jobs for Machine Learning Engineers from 2015-19. Robotics Engineers, Computer Vision Engineers, and Data Scientists jobs have seen a rise of 128%, 116%, and 78% respectively in the same period. Some of the industry sectors that offer significant career opportunities for professionals with knowledge of AI and new technologies include Cyber Security, Healthcare, Supply Chain Management, IT, Construction, Transportation, Education, Retail, and of course IT.

But besides the burgeoning opportunities, it’s the quality of careers that these technologies offer that make them a hugely appealing prospect. “Unlike careers where a path has been laid out over decades, AI is still in infancy. It means you can form your own path and be creative,” said Dan Ayoub, General Manager for mixed reality education, Microsoft. So the top guns Microsoft included like Google, Amazon, and Apple can be just the starting points in your careers. The scope AI and new technologies offer your careers, is tremendous, to say the least.

AI education in India

Though in its nascent stages, AI and new technologies have found their place in programs and curriculums in India. It’s interesting that relatively new universities like SRM AP, that are leading the charge by incorporating new-age courses and labs on campuses. Its M. Tech in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning is designed to give students the edge in their specialized careers of tomorrow. But that’s not all; as a University that focuses on a multidisciplinary approach, these courses find their place in several programs including MBA.

Industry oriented courses in Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, Cyber Security, Distributed and Cloud Computing can be chosen by students across different domains. SRM AP also runs the Next Tech lab to encourage, enable, and shape future game-changers. Designed to catalyze innovations the lab is a platform for incubation of ideas and gives students the opportunity to work on projects with industry names. It clearly understands that the time is now. AIther you keep up or be left behind.

“Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity – not a threat,” Steve Jobs

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the National Education Policy 2020 on India’s 74th Independence Day, he asserted that it was aimed to make the country more self-reliant. NEP will give special attention to National Research Foundation because innovation is at the heart of India’s progress. Approved by the Union Cabinet and helmed by the newly named Education Ministry, NEP 2020 is all set to usher in immense transformations in higher education. Change driven towards innovation sounds like the need of the hour. But what does it actually mean?

Ministry sources have reiterated that NEP 2020 has been designed to promote skills-based education to arm students with practical skills. Moreover, the aim is to shape lateral thinking professionals of the future through an emphasis on multidisciplinary learning. The Education Ministry intends to follow through on these goals through these proposed changes:

• Setting up a large multidisciplinary college in every district by 2030.

• Setting up a large multidisciplinary college in every district by 2030.

• All higher learning institutions will teach languages, music, arts, and literature.

• In fact, the clear demarcations in Science and Arts streams’ curriculum will be blurred.

• IITs and other institutions will be encouraged to create a holistic learning experience.

• There will be a strong impetus for practical training and skills development (internships will be imbibed into curriculums from sixth grade)

• Every higher learning institution will have an International Students Office in a bid to make India a sought after destination for foreign students.
  These are just some of the changes NEP 2020 set into motion after its implementation. They are expected to promote these broad changes in higher education in the country.

• Students will be encouraged to gain practical exposure instead of simply learning theoretical concepts.

• Students will develop research focus and will be geared towards innovation while gaining insights into Liberal Arts.

• Value-based learning will come into focus as there will be a push for nurturing future professionals with a strong sense of ethics.

• Overall, the proposed changes have the potential of transforming Indian colleges and universities and bringing them on par with the best in the world.

The announcement of NEP 2020 is probably one of the most unanticipated moves in the Indian education system. Several higher learning institutions are bound to be caught off guard and will be playing catch up for some time. On the other hand, universities like SRM AP will have the edge with its multidisciplinary approach and focus on practical training, already in place. The University is also leading the way with its emphasis on research and innovation as students get an enriching experience through numerous projects and internships.

That’s one of the primary goals for NEP 2020, and SRM AP is already on it. After all, it has come into being with the purpose of becoming an Indian University that truly is at global standards; a while before NEP 2020 made it a mission.