UPES, a leading private multidisciplinary university announced the appointment of Dr. Ram K Sharma as the Vice Chancellor. Dr. Sharma has succeeded Dr. Sunil Rai, who will now take on the role of the Chancellor, UPES.
An accomplished leader in the higher education domain, Dr. Sharma has been driving academic transformation and innovation, internationalization, use of technology to solve access, quality and equity-related issues across leading Indian institutions.
Prior to joining UPES in February 2020 as Dean- Academics and then as Pro Vice-Chancellor in Feb 2022, he held leadership roles at Plaksha University as the Founding Director, at Shiv Nadar University (now an Institution of Eminence) as Director - International Relations, Associate Dean Academics and Student Welfare and at Amity Group of Institutions as Deputy Director Academics. As Dr. Sharma takes on the role of Vice Chancellor, he will be responsible for driving academic excellence in every walk of the university’s functioning including faculty recruitment and development, student experience and operational excellence, research, start-ups and innovation, rankings, accreditations and perception, internationalization and creating an impeccable academic reputation for the university.
Speaking on Dr. Sharma’s appointment as the Vice Chancellor, Dr. Sunil Rai, Chancellor, UPES said, “I am delighted to welcome Dr. Sharma in his new role and excited to see UPES achieve greater benchmarks in higher education through its students and academics. His vision and passion for creating a conducive ecosystem for teaching-learning and academic excellence aligns completely with the goals and purpose of UPES as the University of Tomorrow”.
Dr. Sharma has significant experience in setting-up green-field universities as well as transforming brownfield institutions. He helped some of the leading institutions in the country establish and transform verticals across curricular design, development, program launches, teaching and learning, research, entrepreneurship and innovation, e-learning, and quality assurance including strategic interventions for rankings, and accreditations.
“I am elated and honoured to take ahead the university’s mission and purpose, both of which are well aligned with my passion to explore and create opportunities for students- the leaders and change-makers of tomorrow. I am excited to embark on this journey along with a highly motivated team”, said Dr. Ram K Sharma, Vice Chancellor, UPES.
He holds a PhD in Experimental Physics from UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research and MLS University India, and an MSc in Physics with university merit.
He has received many honours and awards including Chevening Gurukul Fellowship to pursue a leadership program at the University of Oxford; Fulbright Fellowship to work on MOOCs and online education at the University of California Berkeley and Coursera; International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) Award by the US Department of State; Junior and Senior Research Fellowships by CSIR, Government of India among many others.