09 January 2026

The Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (COL-CEMCA) in collaboration with Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), organised a five day Faculty Development programme (FDP) Workshop on “Course Enhancement with Employability Attributes and Development of Skill-Based Courses” from 5-9 January 2026. The five day Faculty FDP  workshop was organised under the graduate employability project.

Dr. B Shadrach, Director, COL-CEMCA, acknowledged Karnataka’s significant presence of AI and software talent, but also noted that it faced skills gaps in emerging technologies. He emphasised that the university aims to address this by integrating skills and competencies into its curriculum. He highlighted the workshop’s focus on embedding employability skills, crafting industry relevant courses, and tapping into vocational education and micro-credential prospects.

Prof. Sharanappa V. Halse, Vice Chancellor, KSOU, emphasised the need for programs to adapt to societal changes, highlighting the importance of integrating skills into teaching to maintain relevance. He pointed to the crucial link between academia and industry to prevent obsolescence, urging faculty to utilise resources like the National Resource Centre for Gender and 10 skill development laboratories funded by the National Skill Development Corporation. He called upon faculty members to strive towards making the university a centre for skill development and student growth, thereby securing their prospects.

Dr. O P Goel, Consultant, COL-CEMCA, highlighted the importance of integrating employability skills into KSOU’s curriculum, leveraging collaborations with organisations like COL-CEMCA. He stressed that with UGC’s dual course policy, KSOU can offer industry-ready courses to students across Karnataka, making them job-ready. He commended the university’s leadership and faculty for their initiative and potential to create a benchmark for the nation.

Prof. M. Ramanatham Naidu, Dean Academia, KSOU, expressed that the FDP will encourage outcome-based learning-centric curriculum design, promote interdisciplinary and skill-integrated courses, and enable faculty members to align academic offerings with national priorities, industry needs, and global standards. Calling it a platform for reflection, rethinking, and renewal, he urged all participants to engage actively, share experiences openly, and translate the learnings from this programme into actionable changes in curriculum design and delivery.

The workshop centred on bridging employability gaps by identifying industry relevant job roles and mapping them to key competencies and future skills. Participants selected 5 existing courses for enhancement and designed 1 new skill-based course, aligning job roles and defining clear employability outcomes for each.

Dr. B Shadrach emphasised that the Graduate Employability Programme will forge industry partnerships, creating workplace learning, apprenticeships, and placements for KSOU learners.

Dr. O P Goel acknowledged the active participation of department heads and senior faculty members, appreciating their valuable contributions. He expressed satisfaction that, despite CEMCA’s initial mandate of enhancing 5 courses and developing 1 new skill-based course, the university had received proposals for 10 courses, reflecting KSOU’s commitment to driving meaningful change.

The workshop was led by Dr. Niranjan Raj, Assistant Professor, KSOU and Dr. Mahesha, V, Assistant Professor delivered the word of thanks.