After COVID break, Centre approves fourth phase roll­out of GIAN scheme

After COVID break, Centre approves fourth phase roll­out of GIAN scheme

Subject: Govt schemes

Section: Msc  

Context: Centre approves fourth phase roll-out of GIAN scheme

More about the news:

• Eight years after its launch and a brief discontinuation during the COVID period, the Ministry of Education is set to resume the fourth phase of the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN).
• This initiative, spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to bring distinguished scholars from around the world to teach at Indian universities.
• The government has allocated a substantial amount, approximately ₹126 crore, for foreign faculty’s travel expenses and honorarium.
• Notable experts, including indologist David Shulman and cell biologist Bhanu Pratap Jena, have participated.
• The National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) has recommended the program’s continuation after evaluation.
• Of the 2,101 approved courses, 1,772 have been delivered, involving 1,612 foreign faculty members from 59 countries.
• Phase four applications began in July 2023 after a two-year hiatus due to COVID. The majority of courses were conducted at IIT and NIT campuses, prompting a call for greater involvement in state universities and smaller colleges.
• The U.S. contributed 41.4% of visiting academicians, benefitting approximately 72,000 Indian students.
• The Ministry of Education is emphasizing the inclusion of video recordings and webcasting in the approval process for phase four, with plans to create a repository of GIAN lectures accessible to universities across India as a teaching and assessment tool.

Some facts about Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN):

• Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) in Higher Education was launched in 2015. 
• It is a program of the Ministry of Education.
• An honorarium is paid to the foreign experts to cover their travels and other expenses.
• Short term courses are conducted by these experts/faculties in Indian Institutions.
• This programme was first launched to establish collaboration between India and The United States of America, but later, the scope of the programme was extended.
• The duration of courses differ for different courses. The minimum duration is one week and the maximum duration is 3 weeks.
• A lump-sum amount of up to US$ 8000 for 12 to 14 hours of contact and up to US$ 12000 for 20 to 28 hours of contact can be paid to the foreign experts covering their travel and honorarium.
• Up to 41.4% (668) of academicians who visited India belonged to the U.S. The rest consisted of experts from the U.K. (143), Germany (93), Canada (89),