Transforming Higher Education: FMU Hosts Faculty Development Programme on NEP 2020 Orientation and Sensitisation

Balasore | August 25, 2025(Krushna Kumar Mohanty) Aiming to redefine the future of higher education in the NEP 2020 era, Fakir Mohan University’s PG Department of Education, in collaboration with the Human Resource Development Centre (HRDC), organized a seven-day Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on “NEP Orientation and Sensitisation” from 19th to 25th August 2025 at the Nuapadhi campus.

The programme, inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Santosh Kumar Tripathy, brought together eminent scholars, policy experts, and faculty members from diverse disciplines. In his inaugural address, Prof. Tripathy described faculty as “carriers of evolution to a new education system” and emphasized their role in driving the transformative vision of NEP 2020. He highlighted the urgency of building a multidisciplinary, holistic, and inclusive framework of education. The keynote speaker, Prof. Hrushikesh Senapaty, Professor of Education at RIE Bhubaneswar and Former Director of NCERT, provided valuable insights on NEP and guided faculty members on practical aspects of its implementation.

*Product Name* - *Kesh Art Bhringraj & Neem Hair Cleanser for Controlling Hair fall & Dandruff* *Product link* -

*Product Name* - *myUpchar 2% Salicylic Acid Serum For Acne, Pimples, Blackheads & Open Pores for both Women & Men - 50ml* *Product Link* -

Across the seven days, the FDP featured intensive sessions covering the broad spectrum of NEP 2020. Experts spoke on multidisciplinary and holistic learning, accreditation and quality assurance, performance benchmarks, and the need to foster research and innovation by creating inquiry-driven classrooms. Discussions also explored new mechanisms of assessment such as PARAKH, while highlighting the significance of learner-centric evaluations. Faculty members were urged to embrace their role as catalysts of change, strengthening academic leadership and institutional autonomy.

Equally important were the deliberations on integrating Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), with experts outlining challenges, opportunities, and possible roadmaps for implementation. The programme also touched upon holistic progress cards and portfolio-based assessments, governance and institutional reforms, flexible curricular frameworks, digital pedagogy, and the advantages of the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC). Sessions on equity and inclusion underscored the importance of accessibility and fairness in higher education, while innovative pedagogical models such as art-integrated and inquiry-based learning were presented as transformative approaches to teaching.

Alongside thematic deliberations, the FDP included practical workshops where faculty engaged in designing multidisciplinary and IKS-based courses, drafting institutional reform blueprints, conceptualizing research projects, and experimenting with art-integrated pedagogies. A field visit provided participants with an opportunity to observe NEP principles in practice within real-world contexts. An extra-mural lecture by Dr. Sushant Kumar Pradhan from GSCERT-Goa further enriched the discourse on Indian Knowledge Systems.

At the valedictory session, participants expressed their determination to implement the NEP framework in their respective institutions. They reflected on the programme as a turning point in their academic orientation, strengthening their commitment to nurturing a student-centric, research-driven, and globally competitive higher education system. Certificates were awarded to all participants for their successful completion of the FDP.

The convener and Head of the Department of Education, Prof. Amulya Kumar Acharya, FDP Coordinator Dr. Pratima Pradhan, and HRDC Director Dr. Ranidra Kumar Nayak remarked that the event was the result of joint efforts of the PG Department of Education and HRDC. They described the programme as a timely and forward-looking initiative that has positioned Fakir Mohan University as a thought leader in implementing NEP 2020 across Odisha and beyond.