Several participants from India and abroad took part in “The Faculty Development Programme for teachers teaching at Higher Education Institutions” such as Colleges, Universities and Research Scholars which was jointly organized by Third Sector Research Resource Centre, Karnataka State Soudhara Federal Co-Operative and NCUI recently.
The programme was inaugurated by Prof. C. Basavraju, Vice Chancellor, University of Mysore. Basavraju in his address emphasized the relevance of cooperatives and explained how it can act as both as members and customers in achieving SDG goals.
Basavraju also said cooperatives are playing important role worldwide and according to an estimate the livelihoods of nearly half of the world’s population are secured by Cooperative Enterprises. “Cooperatives can play key role in poverty reduction, job opportunities, employment generation, expanding human opportunities for sustainable development, he underlined. He also compared the Cooperative Movement of India with other countries like Denmark, Germany, Iran, Japan, etc.
About 35 participants from India and abroad attended the programme. The prime objective of the programme was achieving sustainable development in order to meet human development goals and at the same time sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services upon which the economy and society depend.
Prof. Yashvanth Dongre, Coordinator, TSRRC, UoM and Prof. T. Paranjothi, Director, Kerala Institute of Cooperative Management, Thiruvanthapuram, Dr. A. R. Srinath, Deputy Director, NCUI, New Delhi were also present on the dais.
Prof. T. Paranjothi, in his key note address stressed the need of the cooperatives for sustainable development. He also gave various examples about how the cooperatives are diversifying the business activities for sustainable goals.
Dr. A. R. Srinath said cooperatives are flexible to address changing socio-economic changes while incorporating principles of solidarity, cooperation, proximity. He counted the role of NCUI and said to ensure high standards in cooperative training, NCUI collaborates with National and International organizations which are promoting HRD.
Besides these, deliberations were made by the Experts / Research Scholars from Universities. Thereafter the participants were divided into groups to discuss the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) as identified by the United Nations.
As a part of the programme the participants went for a study visit to The Graduate’s Co-operative Bank Limited, Karnataka Institute of Cooperative Management and Mahila Cooperative Bank Limited, Mysore to know about the various aspects of co-operative functioning.
The programme was successfully coordinated by Prof. Yashvath Dongre.
