Five Catholic universities to address future of India’s higher education

Five Catholic universities of India will take part in a national colloquium on “Future of Christian Higher Education and Contemporary Transitions in India,” hosted by Salesian College Sonada on Nov 16. 

The colloquium will be held to launch the 80th year of Salesian College Sonada. It will discuss topics such as: Mission in Higher Education and Contemporary Transitions in India; Church’s Social Concern and Challenges from Corporates in Higher Education; Visioning the Future of Higher Educational Institutions; and Strategies to Replicate Existing Institutions of Excellence into Universities.

Among the speakers are: Chancellor of Don Bosco Univeristy Fr. V.M. Thomas; Former Principal of Delhi’s St Stephen’s College Dr. Valson Thampu; Vice-Chancellor of Christ University Dr. Thomas C. Mathew; Professor of Eminence in Sociology & HoD Social Work Tezpur Central University Dr. Virginius Xaxa; and Jesuit Higher Education Commission Coordinator Dr. Xavier Alphonse.

 Three heads of leading Christian Women’s Colleges who will respond to the presentations are: Secretary of Xavier Board and former Principal of Stella Maris College Chennai Dr Annamma Philip; Principal of Loreto College Kolkata Dr Christine Coutinho, and Former Principal of Women’s College Patna Dr Doris D’Souza.

Principal of the College Dr George Thadathil  expressed the hope that, “the colloquium while exposing the alarming trends in higher education will also inspire a growing number of Christian Institutions of educational excellence to upgrade themselves to serve minorities and marginalized groups.”  Father Thadthil adds, “The topic is pertinent in the contemporary educational scenario in India and the rising number of subtle attempts in the saffronization of educational establishments in the country.”

The college which opened to local youth in 2000, today has some 1,500 students studying in 15 departments of Arts, Commerce, Computer Science and Management in two campuses at Sonada and Siliguri. The college has a third campus in the Balasun area at Dhajea which is also a Research and Translation Centre. (mattersindia.com)