Dr. Sandeep Shastri, Pro Vice Chancellor of Jain (Deemed-to-be University) was invited to deliver the prestigious DC Pavate Memorial Foundation Day Lecture at the Karnataka University, Dharwad on 8th August 2016. Earlier DC Pavate Foundation Day lectures were delivered by Dr. Raja Ramanna, Dr. V.K.R.V. Rao, Swami Ranganathanandaji, Shri N.A. Palkivala, the Nobel Laureate William Golding, Shri Khushwant Singh, Dr. V. S. Arunachalam, Shri. Kuldip Nayyar, Shri Salman Khurshed, Dr. Navaneeth Rao, Prof. Malla Reddy, Prof. Arun Nigavekar, and Dr. V. R. Panchamukhi.
Dr. Shastri chose for his lecture theme `The Changing Profile of an Indian University: Responding to the Expectations and Aspiration of Multiple Stakeholders`. Dr. Shastri dwelt at length on the `Concept of a University` highlighting the three critical dimensions of a) Quality Research; b) Innovation in Teaching/Learning; and c) Meaningful Societal Intervention. He outlined how the University of the 21st century in India has a critical role in ensuring that the Demographic Dividend does not transform into a Demographic Disaster. He highlighted the fact that in the 21st century University Attitudes, Approaches, People and Practices should take precedence over Methods, Materials, Procedures and Processes. Drawing on the need to allow multiple stakeholders to take `ownership` for their University, he concluded by highlighting four priorities of the 21st century Indian University: a) Context before Content; b) Reasoning behind Reality; c) Performance Mirroring Promise; and d) Experience Matching Expectations. He ended that for a University and its stakeholders to carve a niche they need to `work with passion, lead with compassion and achieve with conviction`. The full text of the lecture will be published as a book by the Karnataka University.
