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Research must be focussed to make life better & solve social problems

Expert from Saudi Arabia gives tips to GTU faculty members

Ahmedabad: Research should not be only academic. It must be useful to society; it must be capable of bringing changes in society. There must be broader view in Research work. All our Research must be focussed to make the life better. Just an academic Research paper does not give anything to society. We should come out from the mindset of preparing only academic Research papers. Such tips were given by Dr. Rajesh Modi, an expert from Saudi Arabia today at a programme in GTU.

Gujarat Technological University (GTU), Centre for Governance Systems (CGS) & Centre for Financial Services (CFS) are jointly organizing a National Level One-Week Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on ‘Basics of Research Methodology’ during 11th July, 2016 – 17th July, 2016. Around 102 faculty members of Engineering as well as Management colleges are participating in the programme. Experts from prestigious institutes of India and abroad are provide the training. In the event, Dr. Modi said that only two persons are reading Research papers, which are only academic: person who write it and the person who is a guide of that research work.

Dr. Modi appreciated various programmes started by Government of India like Skill India, Start-up India, Make in India & Digital India. He said that such programmes will be helpful to students in learning by doing and internship. Theoretical and conceptual knowledge is necessary, but without getting hand-on experience you cannot become an expert. Government of India must put some amount of efforts to give hands-on experience to students. e.g. A commerce student cannot understand how to conduct a meeting or how to allocate shares till he gets hands-on experience. By reading 50-60 pages he cannot understand it, but he could realize it through practical experience. Such practical knowledge can boost confidence of students.

He expressed an opinion that IOT and MOOC are talk of the now-a-days, but yet traditional way of education is still powerful and will be powerful. MOOC kind of courses can be helpful for people from remote areas. It can be helpful to connect students and experts. MOOC can be a boon for them. e.g. if there is a great professor of Physics in Stanford University or in an IIT and a student from remote area want an expert advice, student do not present physically and can use the connectivity. This way MOOC will be useful tool.

Dr. Rajesh Modi is having 12 years of academic experience and is currently serving as an Assistant Professor in Industrial Management Technology Department of Yanbu Industrial College, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He has also worked as an Internet Marketing Consultant in Sizzletwist, Illinois, Bloomington, USA. He is a PhD in Marketing Management from Sardar Patel University and has successfully undergone Faculty Development Program at IIM-A (Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad). He is presently writing a book on “Statistics for Managers”.

He said that language is a problem for Students in Saudi Arabia, because they are studying in Arabic from KG to 12th Standard. After that they have to pass an entrance exam covering English, Mathematics etc. Student can get entry in college only after passing the exam. Government in Saudi Arabia is putting lots of efforts to develop language skills of students by spending huge amounts. Government of Saudi Arabia is not asking any fees for college education, instead paying stipend of 20,000 (calculated in terms of Indian Rupees) every month. This gives motivation to students and they do not feel as economically dependent on parents or a burden to their family.


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