| | 8 February 2020HIGHERReviewIN MY VIEWEDUCATION FOR IMPACT - NURTURING AN ECOSYSTEM IN INSTITUTIONS"I slept and dreamt that life was a joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and be-hold, service was joy", are Rabindranath Tag-ore's inspirational words about the purpose of life. If education is a medium to prepare students for life, Tagore's words ring a bell and encourage us to think of education beyond academics. Subject-knowledge and ac-ademic areas are crucial. But unfortunately, most of the time, they occupy the whole of the education system. We should redesign our system to create a broader impact via education.Educational institutions are an ecosystem of intellect, energy, and ideas. They are the powerhouse of human development. They fuel the future dreams of any society. Therefore, institutions must think of themselves as an integral part of society and the nation. Institutions have immense potential to contribute to society. Similarly, society has so much to give to an institution. In this symbiotic relationship, we can nurture an ecosystem for a positive impact. Here are some ways in which social impact can become a core component in educational institutions.Curriculum forms the base of academic programs. Learning outcomes are defined and the curriculum is designed to achieve those outcomes. Usually, these outcomes are only about an academic area. Without losing this objective, the curriculum can be modified in a way such that the subject learnings are applied towards social good. Every subject is relevant for society and the faculty should provide examples of how students can use academic learning for a social impact. This will not only open the minds of the students but also inspire them to study the subject because they can relate it to their surroundings.The next step in curriculum design will be to integrate different subjects and create a holistic learning experience. As an example, a course of food technology can be integrated with other courses like microeconomics and local governance to improve the lives of the farmers. Students who get this exposure in their education will carry such ideas forward in their careers.Further, students can be provided a significant number of internship and project opportunities in which they can start applying their knowledge. It will give them a direct experience of using academic knowledge for social Educational institutions are an ecosystem of intellect, energy, and ideas also; they are the powerhouse of human development and they fuel the future dreams of any societyBy Sahil Aggarwal, Co-Founder & CEO, Rishihood University
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