COL-CEMCA and University of Lucknow Partner to Upskill Educators through Faculty Development Programme
New Delhi, 7 November 2025
The Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (COL-CEMCA) and The University of Lucknow, in collaboration with SWAYAM@Lkouniv, recently hosted a five-day online Faculty Development Programme (FDP) from 29 October to 3 November 2025, on “Empowering Higher Education Institutions in Technology-enabled and Blended Learning”.
The FDP aimed to enhance the digital competencies of educators and strengthen institutional capacities for technology-integrated teaching and learning. It was attended by more than 400 faculty members from higher education institutions in India and abroad.
The inaugural session commenced with Opening Remarks by Dr. Kiran Lata Dangwal, SWAYAM Coordinator, University of Lucknow, who underscored the rising importance of technology-enabled education in ensuring accessibility, inclusivity, and active learner engagement. She noted that digital tools and blended pedagogical approaches have become indispensable to improving the quality of higher education in India. She expressed gratitude to COL-CEMCA for its partnership and ongoing commitment to academic innovation.
Prof. Manuka Khanna, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, University of Lucknow in her presidential address, remarked that technology should be used meaningfully to humanise education, enhance student engagement, and bridge the digital divide. She lauded the initiative as an excellent platform for educators to “learn, unlearn, and relearn” in tune with evolving global education trends.
The first session provided a comprehensive overview of the salient features of NEP 2020, setting the context for educational transformation. Professor Rajesh Khambayat conducted an interactive session on educational technology tools, introducing platforms such as Edcafe, Podcats and Blogging. Dr Sonam Bansal led an engaging session on AI in teaching and learning, with participants creating digital content, including e-books and multimedia resources using AI-powered tools. Professor Jeetendra Pande addressed OERs, MOOCs, LMS features, with hands-on activities on OER discovery, licensing and submissions. Dr Ashish Awhadiya’s session covered employability skills, policy frameworks, and opportunities on SWAYAM and SWAYAM Plus for industry-relevant and credit-based learning.
Dr. B. Shadrach, Director, COL-CEMCA in his valedictory address shared three key pieces of advice with the participants: first, to foster collaboration and peer learning; second, to dedicate time for continuous upskilling and self-development; and third, to seek stronger institutional support for capacity building. He also encouraged participants to actively engage with COL-CEMCA in developing policies on OERs, Technology-Enabled Learning (TEL), blended learning, and employability.
The FDP reaffirmed that the future of Indian higher education lies in building technology-empowered, inclusive, and flexible learning ecosystems. Faculty members must take the lead in this transformation by embracing digital fluency, lifelong learning, and innovative teaching practices to prepare 21st-century learners for a rapidly evolving world.
