Prof. H B Raghavendra, is currently serving as Vice Chancellor of The CMR University, Bangalore. Previously, he was Vice-Chancellor of The NorthCap University Gurugram and Chandigarh University, Haryana. He has also served at Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University, Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat as Director and Director General. In total, he has over 35 years of experience in Teaching, Research and Governance. 

Prof. H B Raghavendra started his career in 1983 and served in various capacities such as Professor, Head, Director School of Technology, Director General and Vice-Chancellor to date. He has an excellent academic record and is the recipient of degrees from IIT, Madras and IISc, Bangalore. He also holds a master’s from BITS, Pilani. 

Besides being a Civil Engineer by training, he has also received many National and International Scholarships during his student days instituted by GOI and University of Singapore. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers and the Association of Structural Engineers, Life Member of ISTE, ASCE, IGS, EQSI, IRC, IGS, IBC and several other professional Societies and Associations. Furthermore, he also served as member of the Quality Control, Quality Assurance Committee, Karnataka and as a Pollution Control Board Consent Committee member.

 Under his leadership, several centers of excellence have been established in University like the International Automobile Centre of Excellence with the Gujarat Department of Industries and Mines partnered by Kangan Institute Melbourne Australia. Mr Raghavendra served as a Steering Committee Member for Solar Research and Development Centre Promoted by PDPU and Gujarat Energy Development Authority. 

Prof Raghavendra is involved in research and has presented many technical papers at prestigious conferences in India and abroad. His work can be found in journals and he has guided PG and PhD students. He has been awarded with the Best Paper Award for publishing in different Journals and Conferences. 

CMR University

You have held key positions at education institutes throughout your professional career. What are the key factors that keep you connected with the education sector?

I have a strong passion for teaching and research since the beginning of my engineering career. Teaching, learning and research gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction. 

The key factors that keep me connected with the education sector are a strong passion for the subject, teaching and learning. Being able to engage with students, impart knowledge, and contribute to their personal and professional growth is something special for me. Education has immense power to transform individuals and societies. As a leader in the education sector, I understand my responsibility of creating the citizens of tomorrow and its impact. 

The modern education sector is dynamic and constantly evolving. Staying connected with the education sector allows me to continue my own journey of lifelong learning, staying updated with the latest developments, and continually enhancing my skills and knowledge.

Being the VC of your University, what is your philosophy of leadership? How would you describe your leadership style?

My colleagues and others who are a part of the university are better candidates for this question. My work should be judged by others. My philosophy of leadership is to be a collective leadership promoter. I want my team to be participative and work on a common goal. In my view, every human being is unique and possesses the ability to add unique values. The ability of a leader is benchmarked by identifying these strengths and assigning duties to exploit their potential. As the VC of CMR University, my philosophy of leadership is based on the following principles of setting a clear and compelling vision for the university and inspiring others to follow that vision.

My priority is on creating a collaborative and inclusive environment, where diverse ideas and perspectives are encouraged, and teamwork is valued. Students are at the core of our university, and I strive to ensure that their needs and aspirations are prioritized in all decision-making processes. I also believe in upholding the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and transparency in all administrative and governance practices.

Being the VC of your University, how do you strategize about the key programs and plans for the marketing and administration of your school?

This is the era of digital technologies and the Internet. We have to remain alert on which new skills are essential for survival in the future. Currently, our focus is to develop our students to become worthy human resources for the country. Our institute aims to impart high-quality education and provide an inclusive learning environment to our students. In alignment with this ideology, our focus is to keep our curriculum industry-centric. 

Skills, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, strategic management ability, commitment and personal motivation often outweigh our traditional subjects. To meet all these challenges, our strategies are to provide a holistic education which is student-focused, up-to-date, meaningful and forward-looking. We have created some unique facilities such as design thinking, accelerated credit systems, NEP based educational advances to keep our students at the forefront. We also have a Department of Common Core Curriculum (DCCC) that provides strong basics to our students.

The education systems in India and other foreign countries are structured very differently. In your experience, what can an inbound student gain from studying here in your university?

It is true that the education sector has changed to a large extent. The advances of digital transformation have affected a lot to teaching, learning and research frontiers. 

Considering this dynamic process, we must think globally but act locally. At the same time, we look forward to having meaningful international collaborations with several national and international universities. 

We want to dismantle the silos-based systems which are very common in our country. In its place, we would like to implement the new-age university system which is highly inclusive and diverse. We effectively implement the positives of the NEP-2020 to provide advantages to our students. We also provide the common core curriculum subjects through our DCCC which provides a good balance for the overall growth of the students. We have increased the industry-university partnerships through the appointment of professors of practice and adjunct roles. 

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How does the curriculum of your university ensure the best practice of industry?

As a modern university, we always try to maintain an up-to-date curriculum in our teaching and learning processes. We constantly update our curriculum to fit the demands of the industries. Our update process involves reviews and feedback taken from industry experts on the changes in the industry. These reviews are carefully analysed by our Board of Studies and changes are approved by an expert panel of the Academic Council. 

We always make sure that our students are aligned with the current industry standards. We do so by providing direct industry exposure to our students through professors of practice and adjunct professors. At the same time, we strengthen their overall outlook through the internationalization of our programs. We have special initiatives such as the DCCC, and Accelerated Credit systems in which the students can learn the subjects in advance and stay ahead of their peers. Feedback and help from alumni and parents are crucial to keeping our programs attractive for all stakeholders.

Any insights into how your university could be more welcoming to students of different races or economic backgrounds?

Our university’s mission is to promote and prepare students for global competitiveness by adopting educational excellence and ensuring equal access. At CMR University, we are committed to providing a welcoming environment for students of different races and economic backgrounds. We have implemented robust scholarship and financial aid programs to ensure that students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds have access to quality education.

There are regular diversity and sensitivity training programs for faculty, staff, and students to promote understanding, inclusivity, and respect for individuals from different races and backgrounds. We have put in place comprehensive support services for counselling, mentoring, and academic assistance, to ensure that students feel supported and empowered to succeed. We are constantly reviewing and implementing inclusive policies and practices that promote diversity and inclusivity in all aspects of university life. Our Office of Student Affairs (OSA) is very proactive when it comes to offering solutions for student problems and difficulties.

What do you think your roles and responsibilities to the University and the students are?

As the VC of CMR University, my roles and responsibilities to the university and the students include providing tactical leadership and direction to the university. Setting a clear vision, and ensuring its effective implementation is crucial for me. I need to ensure the highest standards of academic excellence by fostering a culture of research, innovation, and quality teaching. Moreover, I need to ensure over all well-being and success of students by providing a holistic learning environment.

I have to support the professional growth and development of faculty and staff through training, mentorship, and recognition programs. Building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders and fostering collaboration and partnerships is part of the Vice-Chancellor’s duties.

What do you think should be the University’s top priority over the next 10 years?

Currently, the university’s main priority is to excel in education and research. Our main strategy is to recruit outstanding faculty members and retain them for decades. Experienced faculty can bring miraculous changes to our educational ecosystem. We plan to generate a significant amount of revenue from research and consultancy. That will change the whole approach towards our project and research-based learning. 

We want to excel in our rankings both at the national and international levels. We will continue to provide the best possible education to our students and create value in the education sector. We have initiated the implementation of NEP 2020 and hope to see the results in the next few years besides collaborating with the highly reputed national and international universities. 

What do you see as your university’s greatest strengths?

There are, in fact, several positives of our university. Ours is an innovative university system which focuses on value-based education and dismantling the traditional education system. We follow modern teaching approaches such as design thinking, innovation-centric lab works, advanced credit systems, and intensive partnerships with industry. It provides ample scope for growth to students, teachers and staff. It provides all the modern facilities needed for the best possible education and research. It respects the talents of the students and the teachers; and motivates them to innovate.

What are some of the biggest challenges you see, both for higher education in general and for your university specifically?

Every university faces some challenges. We face a few challenges in the implementation of the value-first education system, dismantling the old approaches, and completing the NEP 2020. However, this is just a matter of time and we will overcome all these issues in the coming years. We focus on quality in all dimensions of teaching and research which reduces a lot of difficulties when it comes to our competitors. Hiring and retaining high-calibre faculty members is also a challenge. We try our best to keep them motivated through different schemes. We have a good infrastructure and are gradually developing a favourable ecosystem for cutting-edge research. The purchase and maintenance of high-end equipment for laboratories is also ongoing now. 

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Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth and the aspiring students?

Students should explore all options before deciding to join any university. Every university provides something unique and so do we. I would suggest that students visit our university to explore the opportunities we provide. Our faculty and staff will be more than happy to provide them with any assistance. In general, my advice to the students and the young mass is to excel in whatever field they study. They should develop a love for constant learning which is essential in today’s competitive times. Complacency has no place in the modern world.

What are some plans that you’re currently (or will be) designing for your university international affairs and/or students?

Our strategic plans for the next five years include major changes in the teaching and learning processes, revenue generation from research and consultancy, and bringing exceptional teachers and innovators to the university. We are very much active in international collaborations. Presently, we have several, international partners in many countries. We want to leave our mark of excellence globally for which we have an office of international relationships. It looks after all these components of international issues and organizes international contests and events on design and innovation.