Summary
It was inaugurated virtually by Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray
The academy aims to impart high-quality vocational education to teachers under the department of higher and technical education in the state
The Maharashtra State Faculty Development Academy, a first-of-its-kind state-run institute for faculty development in the country, was inaugurated by Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray in Pune on December 25.
Thackeray inaugurated the academy virtually, while deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and higher and state technical education minister Uday Samant were present at the inaugural ceremony among others, a communique from the Pune district administration stated.
“The institute, located in Model Colony in Pune, has been set up with an aim to impart high-quality vocational education to teachers under the department of higher and technical education in the state,” the statement added.
More than 50,000 teachers and related staff will be trained by this academy. The training at the academy will focus on creating a new curriculum according to availability of employment, building a network of teachers who have done remarkable work in the field of education – conducting continuous experiments for capacity building and inculcation of rational thinking based on science, as well as diverse and inclusive education.
This academy is the only state government institution in the country to have initiated a structured institute for faculty development as envisaged in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. It is a ‘Section 8’ institute – a non-profit enterprise associated with commercial ventures – established in keeping with the government resolution (GR) of the department of higher and technical education and on the initiative of higher and technical education minister Uday Samant.
The Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER) and Panchgani's Initiative of Change have partnered with the development academy. Sir J J School of Art, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, St. Xavier’s College, Deccan Institute Pune, Infosys, Institute of Chemical Technology, and many more top institutes and educators will also provide training at the academy.
A total of seven IISERs, including one in Pune, were established by the Centre to integrate and promote interdisciplinary science education and research. Over the years, IISERs have been successfully attracting talented young minds.
One of the goals of the IISERs is to enable students to shape the nation by inventing and implementing sustainable solutions for societal problems through research in science. In a short span of time, the IISERs have generated an incredible amount of intellectual property in the form of publications and patents.
Last updated on 25 Dec 2021
