Delivering an invited lecture, ‘Inheritance and Departures: Reflections on Teaching, Research and Teaching/Research’ at Vimala College, Trichur during a national seminar sponsored by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) on Curriculum Designing and Academic Auditing, Dr. Sebastian called upon the teachers for developing a passion for the disciplines they are affiliated with for only through that emotional attachment a faculty can come out with qualified research in their own areas of academics. Citing examples from Science, Social Sciences and Literature, he argued that subversion of real research interests happen at this point of time due to the commoditization of higher education in the context of the emergence of techno-economic capitalism and forces of culture industry. Affiliated colleges with their resource pool and diversified disciplinarian profile are better placed for making certain interventions in the higher education scenario which are on a state of ennui due to forces operating from outside and within. The best way to come out of this imbroglio is a mindset change through practicing rigorous academics based on qualified research and its proper dissemination. In its transformation, finally the academician/ teacher is to become a public intellectuals, organically linked with real life world realities. Such a structural transformation is possible when the teacher become a researcher and finally a transmitter of knowledge for the society. This is what UGC envisions through the connectivity logic of Teaching- Research – Extension.
The seminar was inaugurated by Dr. M C Dileepkumar, Vice Chancellor of SSUS, Kalady. Other speakers for the seminar were, Dr. Benard D’Sami, Loyola College, Chennai, Dr. Mathew J Manimala, Director, Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, Bangalore and Dr. K Unnikrishnan , IIM, Calicut and Prof. Harry Cleetus, Former Principal, St. Albert’s College, Kochi.
