Heritage buildings in India and UK need a strong academic focus for preservation and restoration. Preserving the ancient architecture and monuments in India have been an important issue, however, we need a strong strategic approach to keep them safe. The recent collaboration announced by the University of Birmingham with the Indian Institute of Heritage (IIH) will a step in the right direction to create new opportunities in the fields of Heritage, Museums and Museology for students.
Speaking to Education Times, Prof Adam Tickell, vice-chancellor of the University of Birmingham, says, “Through this partnership, collaborations in the fields of research and education will be established. The alliance will result in creating informed and efficient heritage professionals and academicians in the future. It will ensure the participation of students and experts from the Indian Institute of Heritage and University of Birmingham in various research projects. It will also encourage student and academic exchange programmes between both the institutes,” says Prof Tickell.
“The postgraduate programmes offered by the institute will equip the students with the necessary skills for pursuing careers in Heritage, with numerous alumni holding prominent positions in museums and conservation agencies and Indian students will benefit a lot from it,” adds Prof Adam Tickell.
Highlighting the necessity to conserve cultural heritage with sustainable approaches, he says, “Both India and the UK have a lot of heritage to conserve and showcase and MoU like this one will ensure plans and practices for managing our cultural heritage with innovative and sustainable approaches. It will equip students with the skills they need to pursue professions in heritage.”
“The collaboration is based on principles of equality and reciprocity, aims to foster sustainable partnerships. The agreement outlines various initiatives to strengthen academic and research ties between the two institutions. We will have exchange of staff, research scholars, and students, fostering a dynamic environment for cross-cultural learning and collaborative research. In line with their shared vision, University of Birmingham and IIH will actively seek opportunities for cooperation in academic and research programs, exhibitions, and capacity-building workshops. The joint projects to be undertaken include endeavours in museums and well-being among other action-oriented research initiatives within the broader field of heritage, museums, and museology,” states the Indian Institute of Heritage.
BR Mani, vice chancellor, IIH, expressing enthusiasm about the partnership, says, “This collaboration marks a significant step towards synergising the strengths of IIH and the University of Birmingham. By combining our resources and expertise, we aim to create impactful projects that contribute to the cultural landscape and promote well-being in our communities.”
UK skill shortage
The UK is grappling with a severe skills shortage, which will reportedly cost the country £120 billion by 2030. Overall, there will be a shortfall of 2.5 million highly skilled workers and an oversupply of 8.1 million people with traditionally intermediate or low skills. Academics claim that the skill shortage can be managed by a hardworking talent pool consisting of Indian students studying in the UK.
Addressing the crisis, Tickell says, “The UK has a skill shortage in certain sectors, which opens abundant opportunities in the job market for Indian students. All they need is to plan their courses and career properly to enter the job market with confidence.”
“We see it as an opportunity and the universities in the UK, attract talented and passionate international students to the country and provide them with quality education. The students get industry exposure which in turn helps them and our country overcome the current deficit. Even though the UK job market is fiercely competitive, there are several white-collar jobs available at attractive packages for international students,” he adds.
Sectors that are reeling under skill shortages in the UK include IT and Tech (software engineer, data scientist, web designer, cyber security analyst), Healthcare, Engineering (civil engineer, mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, chemical engineer) Finance (accountant, auditor, actuary, financial analyst), Education (Teachers in Maths, Physics and Chemistry).
“We at the University of Birmingham are also trying to make our students future-ready and industry-ready with our new-age courses focused on artificial intelligence (AI), Data Science, and Sustainability. Besides that, all STEM, Management and Humanities courses continue to stay popular even as they evolve,” says Prof Tickell.
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