Apeejay Stya University represents India at 'Floriade Dialogue 2009-12'

 

Innovative water conservation steps taken by Apeejay Stya used as case study

In a time when discussions on environmental issues are at their peak on almost every important conclave across the globe, the 7th edition of Floriade Dialogue (2009-2012) focused on a very important aspect of sustainability- 'Improving water efficiency & productivity in food production.'

Mrs. Nisha Berlia, Member of the Board of Governors of Apeejay Stya University and Asha Chandola-Saklani, Dean, School of Bio-Sciences, Apeejay Stya University represented India in this session and presented the topic-Improvement of water efficiency & productivity in agro- and horticulture in India was one of the important topics.

Keeping in mind the increase in global food demand and the lessening of the total cultivated land, various issues were touched upon during this session. Some of the important topics that these two delegates talked about were- Innovation in water storage systems as renewable, water resource, Rehabilitation and modernization of old irrigation works;  More crop per drop innovation; Incentive programs to farmers that adopt water-saving devices Sustainable use of groundwater;  Induce scientific management of water resources in drought prone areas;  Increase participatory irrigation management and transfer of the management of water distribution system to stakeholders, Spread water use literacy among stakeholders through training programs; Ensure environmental protection of water resources by meeting environmental flow requirements and prevention of pollution to groundwater bodies .

A case study on how different Apeejay Institutions were spreading awareness on water conservation along with implementing some innovative ways of water conservations themselves and also how they had improved the productivity in horticulture at different institutions.

Also, Apeejay presented a case study on the diversity of how indigenous people in the Himalayas used multi-crop technique to have multiple harvesting seasons as opposed to the two harvesting seasons associated with ‘Green Revolution.’

Notably, the Floriade Exhibition takes place once in every 10 years in the Netherlands to celebrate horticulture and floriculture from across the world.   

                                                                                                        

  

UIBS fashion show showcases three eras of Indian fashion

·        Apeejay Stya University students prepare the designs

In an exemplary achievement, two students, namely Sakshi Narang and Sapna Chaudhary from Apeejay Stya University, Gurgaon represented India and showcased their creative design collections at a fashion show titled "Indian Fashion through the Ages".

The fashion show was held at Atlanta, US and was a part of the ‘Third USA- India Business Summit (UIBS)’. In partnership with Apeejay Stya University (ASU), the UIBS organized the fashion show along with Georgia College and State University, US.

Showcasing the three eras of fashion trends in India - ancient, medieval and contemporary - with a wide range of 54 garments, these two students astonished the Americans with their talent and startle the crowd with the Indian supremacy in fashion and style.  

The fashion show provided a platform to showcase various fashion genres of India where garments were designed by these ASU students. The ASU entered into a Bilateral Academic Exchange Programme with the Georgia College and State University, in Milledgeville, USA to undertake the collaborative effort. 

"It is a matter of great pride and honour for not only Apeejay Stya University but the educationists all over the world to represent Indian culture and style at the largest business conference in South-East USA", said Mrs. Sushma Berlia, Co-founder and Chancellor, Apeejay Stya University.

"To match the standards of global market and establishment it is important to liaison the gap among the global counterparts which is important for any market and so is for education. Apeejay understands the role of global participation and encourages its students to upgrade themselves as per the international norms while providing them platforms and motivation to stand ahead in the competitive world,” Mrs. Berlia further added.

The third USA-India Business Summit (UIBS), the largest conference in the South-East USA that promotes business relations between US and India took place on June 21, 2012 at Atlanta, US in the gracious presence of Governor of the State of Georgia, Honorable Nathan Deal and Her Excellency Ms. Nirupama Rao, Ambassador of India to the United States, Honorable Ajit Kumar, Consul General of India, Atlanta, Ms. Alice Albright, EVP and COO at Export-Import Bank of the United States, Arthur Stern, India Desk Officer, International Trade Administration, US Department of Commerce were among the many dignitaries who attended UIBS 2012.

Article written by Mr. Aditya Berlia and published by The Statesman news paper

The Liberal Arts as philosophy covers all subjects and disciplines, from engineering
to English, from medicine to philosophy.

Steve Jobs said, “All through my professional life, a Liberal approach has never let
me down...it has made all the difference in my life”

Albert Einstein said, “The value of education in a Liberal Arts Institution is not
the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think something that
cannot be learned from textbooks.”

The key question to ask is how are these pillars integrated into the curriculum and
academic system? How is a university designed to follow this and lead to the
superior outcomes given by a liberal arts education?

If you read through the marketing materials of many private education institutions,
you were continuously hear buzz words such as inter-disciplinary,
multi-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary, credit based pedagogy and such.  These buzz
words are now thrown around by educationists and even industrialists, often
interchangeably, without understanding them, or having implementing them on the
ground. 

These institutions unfortunately, follow the same old education paradigms, while
simply changing the words on the brochure, or adding a few cosmetic things to an
existing curriculum as a band-aid, or throwing in a five-star hotel like lobby.

What we need is a revolutionary change in the way we look at education. Moving from
a mass production system where everybody learns the same thing in the same
classroom, to a one that is focused on the individual.

Very few universities in India are willing to take the plunge and truly embrace the
education that is needed for the 21st Century. Around the world the top universities
are already scrambling, Stanford University and Harvard University follow this
system, and MIT, traditionally an engineering only institute, in the past five years
has made rapid progress in adopting the practice of the liberal arts philosophy.


At the Apeejay Stya University we have tried to build this into our DNA from day
one, becoming India’s first truly liberal arts, and to throw another wonderful buzz
word, meta, university.  What we do is remarkably different in India. Being a true
non-profit enables us to focus on higher social outcomes, and to spend time and
money on the things that are truly important. In the first week of scholars (we
prefer to call student’s scholars) joining the university, Professors assemble to
market their courses to scholars, to convince them that their course or field is
superior. Scholars are asked to design their individual customized schedule based on
a combination of their desired degree, their interests, and a robust core system
that exposes them to a wide variety of essential perspectives.

Our courses themselves are market dynamic, adopting the latest as it happens, and
even our first year scholars are encouraged to get involved with research,
catapulting them ahead even of industry.

We believe there are no boundaries between disciplines and teaching and research is
designed in a manner that is not restricted by the terminology of the field.

It forces our students to work and study hard, as transformation, academically and
as human beings does not come easy. But the journey is worth it. Six months in most
scholars cannot imagine a world that restricts their potential by putting artificial
barriers and boundaries.

We want other education institutions to emulate us in India. This is what the new
economy in the 21st century needs. Young men and women who are not only ready to
lead, but have a firm grasp of the multiple dimensions and perspectives of the
world, and the ability to apply those in pragmatic execution and thought.

Our admissions reflect our priorities. We seek not only academic accomplishment, but
accomplishment as a human being, a drive to do something ambitious, to make the
world a better place. Ultimately that is the aim. To create leaders for today and
for tomorrow, to make the world a better place.

We all can learn a few things from Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein.

The writer is the Pro-Chancellor and Co-Founder of Apeejay Stya University