Dr. JA Choudary Commends Project-Based Learning at India’s Largest Symposium at Anurag University

Hyderabad, December 20, 2024: The Regional Research Symposium on Project-Based Learning(RRSPBL) began at Anurag University, Venkatapur in the city on Thursday. Dr JA Choudary, Founder of the International Startup Foundation & former IT Advisor and Special Chief Secretary to Chief Minister, Govt of Andhra Pradesh was the chief guest and inaugurated India’s biggest symposium on Project Based Learning (PBL).

The symposium brings together researchers and educators to explore PBL practices in India. PBL is a student-centered approach that engages students in real-world scenarios that require: Critical thinking, Collaboration, Application of knowledge, and solving open-ended problems. It can help students develop 21st-century skills like: problem-solving, research, time management, and information synthesizing and gaining a lot of importance across the globe and it is implemented in 30 countries. It makes students active problem solvers, engaging them in real-world scenarios that demand critical thinking, collaboration, and application of knowledge

The RRSPBL is being organised by Anurag University in collaboration with Aalborg Centre for Problem-Based Learning in Engineering Science and Sustainability, Denmark under the auspices of UNESCO and IUCEE – (Indo-Universal Collaboration for Engineering Collaboration)

Aalborg Centre is a Category 2 centre under the auspices of UNESCO, approved by the General Conference of UNESCO.

Indo Universal Collaboration for Engineering Education (IUCEE) is an initiative conceptualized by over 150 leaders of engineering education and businesses from the US and India. The vision of IUCEE is to improve the quality and global relevance of engineering education and research in India.

168 faculty members from seven states of India are participating and 37 papers are shortlisted for presentation during the three-day symposium. These papers will be presented by PBL Practitioners for the benefit of fellow participants.

Addressing the gathering immediately after inaugurating, Dr Choudary said if you do what you have been doing, you will get what you have always got. If you want to achieve better outcomes in Higher Education, more so in Engineering Education, you must bring in some disruptive reforms so that the students acquire a competitive edge compared to their peers.

The next edition of the International Startup Festival will be held at Anurag University on 5th and 6th December 2025. It will focus on AI (Artificial Intelligence) in Health Care, Agriculture, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Food Processing and other related areas. The two-day event will bring in 2000 plus delegates, Mr J A Chowdary, a Key Architect of the Indian Tech Industry shared.

Prof UB Desai, Chancellor of Anurag University said Project Based Learning methodology is the only way to bring back the joy of learning. Anurag is one of the few Universities in India which has a program ‘Joy of Learning in Engineering’, turning ideas into innovations and experiences into inspiration

The conventional methodology of teaching in Higher Education is dying. Project Based Learning (PBL) is the future of higher education pedagogy. Generation Z believes in the practice of learning by doing. We must change along with the changing times for better outcomes, said Dr Gopala Krishna Joshi, Founding Vice Chancellor of MIT Vishwaprayag University, Solapur, the main driver behind the Project Based Learning Movement in India.

Giving his opening remarks at the inaugural function he said, we are on a mission to build a community of PBL Practitioners in India. As of now, we have five universities in India such as Anurag University, KLE Technological University, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Bennett University and Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education. Anurag University is the only University from Telangana and one of the five universities in India to have 8 certified faculty in PBS, he added.

Dr Archana Mantri, Vice Chancellor of Anurag University said PBL is a movement which is already gaining traction across the country thanks to Dr Gopala Krishna Joshi. I have realised the importance of PBL and did my Ph. D on the same, she shared. 80% of higher education pedagogy must be this to ensure students’ engagement. Pulling students to the classroom is better than pushing them. Learning should be voluntary, it must be motivation-based.

Dr. Xiangyun Du, Director, of the Department of Sustainability and Planning, at Aalborg University, Denmark said there is a need for educating engineers and scientists who can participate in the development of sustainable innovations. This will imply a reform of engineering and science education to educate engineers with employable knowledge and skills she said.

The Aalborg Centre contributes to a reform strategy for higher education by combining Problem and Project Based Learning (PBL), Engineering Education Research (EER) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). This is a unique combination of Research & Development areas that are mutually dependent and complementary she added

One of the delegates, Prof Vijaya Lakshmi, for KLE Technology, said Gen Z wants a practical approach. Theory and instruction-based studies no longer go well with them because in the internet era everything is available online. PBL is the future learning methodology. PBL is a student-centric education, said Ms P. Laxmi, Assistant Prof from Vignan Bharathi Institute of Technology. Dr Raja Subrahmanyam of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Tamil Nadu said “If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow”. We are living in a global village. We need to produce global students who are problem solvers. And PBL is one of the most sought-after methodologies.

As of now, India has 38 PBL-trained practitioners/faculty. They have undergone a six-month program to qualify as RRSPBL Certified Faculty. On the last day on 21st December of these three days of symposiums, a graduation ceremony will be held where all the 38 trained faculty and PBL practitioners will be awarded their degrees.