Institutions Will Have To Adopt, Adapt And Imbibe Technology In The Future: Dr Atul Chauhan, Chancellor, Amity University

“Technology will have a large impact in the future. Institutions will have to adopt, adapt and imbibe technology in the future, otherwise they will become redundant,” said Dr Atul Chauhan, Chancellor, Amity University at BW Businessworld - Dell Technologies’ panel discussion on ‘Driving Innovation And Student Success’.

He also stressed the importance of research in higher education. He stated, "Lack of research is one of the biggest reasons why Indian universities are not ranked.” He further added, “The revolution will happen when private universities will be amongst the top ranks in India and the world."

Dr Chauhan who is also the President of Ritanand Balved Education Foundation and CEO of AKC Group of Companies was speaking at the recent BW Businessworld webinar on ‘Driving Innovation and Student Success’, organized in association with Dell Technologies.

The other eminent panellist for this insightful session was Venkat Sitaram, Geo Head & General Manager, Dell Technologies. The session was moderated by Daya Prakash, Consulting Editor, BW Businessworld.

Dr Chauhan claimed that the education sector is in a much advantageous state to absorb technology. He stated, “We are very lucky and fortunate that technology has played a great role in ensuring the continuity of education for most of the students. And our country is at an advanced stage of being able to use advanced technologies.”

Underlining the benefits of the pandemic, he opined that the pandemic has pushed academia, a sector that is otherwise considered slow in adapting to the new changes. He asserted, “Technology was always there – zoom, other interactive platforms and LMSs were existent but institutions were not using them. It has really awakened specially in the academic world that there is a huge benefit to using technology because it brings in the aspect of personalized education. If you have the assessments that are done online, you can really go to the granular level of what students have learnt and you can tailor-make education for each learner.”

Discussing the needs for skilling, Dr Chauhan asserted, “One of the biggest skills that the industry today needs is the ability to analyze data, the ability to understand problems and deliver correct solutions." He added, "There is a big difference between knowledge and wisdom. Wisdom is how you apply the knowledge that you have.” He also stressed the need to build resilience in human being.

Dr Chauhan advised students to stay down to earth. He said, “With the success that students get, they should always remember to remain humble to the people around them."

In his opening remark, Venkat Sitaram, Geo Head & General Manager, Dell Technologies, said, "The fundamental shift and change that we are seeing is that everything is coming home. Learning is coming home; entertainment and food are coming home. Technology is bringing everything to your doorstep. The use of technology will let us know how fast the journey is. We understood the power of anticipation and for all good causes, we are happy to be contributing.”

"The world is changing, the industry is changing and this is compelling everybody to work differently and think differently; the skills that are needed for the future are definitely not the skills that exist today. It is the culture of learning that we have to change, and technology is a big catalyst in this cultural shift," added Sitaram.