RELATIVE ECONOMICS AS THE ROAD MAP TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT By : Professsor (Dr.

. ) Trilok Kumar Jain Dean,ISBM, Suresh Gyan Vihar University Jagatpura, Jaipur Mobile : 91+9414430763, jain.tk@gmail.com Presented at the Vice Chancellors Meeting in Gangashahr on 8/2/14 organised by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Rajasthan Abstract : This paper highlights the need of courses on relative economics and how such courses can help in the development Green Economy, Sustainable Development and development of better citizens. This paper also presents a summary of the global movements towards Green Economy and Sustainable Development. The paper also presents the contents that can be added in courses relating to relative economics. Keywords: course, curriculum, university, education, sustainable development, relative economics, green economy Contents: Introduction to Relative Economics International Movements towards sustainable development International Trends with regard to Sustainable development Curriculum Designing for Sustainable Development Conclusion Introduction to Relative Economics Higher education is at a cross-road. There are competing options before the students. There are courses, which prepare students for professions and impart only technical and professional skills. There are courses, which impart fundamental knowledge and prepare students for fundamental research. There are courses, which prepare students for their overall development and prepare them for life as a whole. At this juncture, we all agree that there is a need of courses, which prepare students for the skill-sets required in the future and for the courses which prepare them as better citizens. It is also important to impart education that prepares the students for the next generation challenges. Thus there is a need of constant planning and brainstorming on what type of courses to be offered so that students are able to prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. Universities across the globe have started preparing courses on sustainable

development, green economy and green technology to prepare students for the emerging challenges. At this juncture, it is pertinent to look at the rich Indian heritage and explore how we can prepare courses that can be useful in this context and enable us to launch such courses which Universities from other countries can also look upon as reference courses. Vasudhaiv Kutumkam is the fundamental philosophy in India, therefore Indian Universities should become the pioneers in offering courses on sustainable development. This paper presents one such concept the concept of relative economics which can be offered as a course towards sustainable development. The ideas of Relative Economics are rooted in the concept of non-violent developmental approach as enunciated by Mahavir Swami and presented in the present day context by Acharya Shri Mahapragya Ji. It is a broad concept towards development. It is extremely useful for development planners, entrepreneurs, economists, social development workers, activists, managers and every one interested in overall development of our civilization. Relative Economics is the discipline which takes a wholistic perspective towards development. While preparing development plans, we must take into account environmental, social, economical and other considerations also and we must not deprive next generations from their opportunities. The present developmental plans ignore the possibilities with regard to next generations and therefore these plans turn out to be short lived and have negative impact in the long run. The UN and the ICC have adopted Green Economy as the goal and they have asked governments to prepare roadmap for green economy. The concept of green economy is based on the concept of sustainable development. The concept of green economy is the concept for preparing an economic framework which considers environmental framework and issues with regard to sustainable development into consideration. Relative Economics is the concept that takes into account broader framework for development. There are following issues that are included in relative economics : a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Promoting Value Based Education Promoting Bio-diversity Promoting Sustainable Development by being Nature Friendly Promoting Social Entrepreneurship Promoting Balanced Approach to Development Promoting Harmony with Society, Nature, Ecology and Environment Promoting Peace and Collaboration

The concept of relative economics is very important for educational planners due to following reasons : -

a. Growth in Industries relating to Green Technology and Sustainable Development : There are growth projections in wind energy, solar power, and other renewable energy sectors. Large number of new units are expected to be set up in these sectors. There are many estimates, which are projecting a higher than normal growth rate in these industries. For example Wind Energy 2012 report states that there will be tremendous growth in wind energy in India. Since these are emerging sectors, the actual growth may be more than expectations. This will create huge employment / self employement possibilities for students in these sectors. b. Saturation in Traditional Professional Courses : There have been saturation in traditional courses due to various reasons. We have seen that many engineering and management institutions are not able to offer sufficient placement opportunities and this is affecting their admissions and they are not able to get sufficient number of admissions and therefore finding it difficult to survive. There is mis-match in the market. Companies need employees which are prepared for the future and have skills required for the next generation technologies, but the institutions are not able to meet those requirements. c. Responsibilities of Universities to Widen up Education Base : Universities have to impart education that develop good citizens. The contents and quality of education has to be periodically reviewed to ensure that our curriculum prepares the students for the requirements of the future. The modern day challenges have put the responsibilities on the universities in incorporate courses on relative economics so that the students have a perspective for sustainable development. International Movements towards sustainable development: Now many new companies are emerging, which are working in the area of sustainable development, green energy, and green economy framework. There is a need of skilled manpower in these sectors. These companies will be able to progress and prosper only if they are able to get skilled manpower. This is a challenge as well as an opportunity. We can start a university which can meet the requirement of these companies as well as develop entrepreneurs for the future, who will create companies for these sectors. a. Global Funding Initiatives: World Energy Summit, Adaptation Fund, and other initiatives are only a few examples of large number of funding agencies working to help entrepreneurs and governments in movement towards sustainable development. The OECD has funded Green Economy movement in Austria:European Universities have agreed towards movement for sustainable development. They have started courses on sustainable development. We have seen that a large number of universities in Europe are offering courses on sustainable development.

b. International Agreements for Sustainable development : Year 1972 Event UN Conference on Human Environment Stockholm conference UNESCO Belgrade Charter Tbillsi Declaration Our common future Recommendations It was agreed that education on environment matters should be there (principle 19) Principles of Environment Education were articulated

1975 1977 1987

1988

1990 1990 1991 1992

1993 1994 1997 1998 2000 2000

2001 2002

World commission released report on our common future and popularized the concept of sustainable development Copernicus CRE Cooperation among Universities in Europe for education on sustainable development. Now over 300 European Universities are signatories of this agreement and are trying to introduce courses on sustainable development. Tailores Declaration 31 University leaders articulated and agreed on sustainable development World conference on education for It was agreed to spread primary education all Halifax Declaration It endorsed the role of Universities in moving towards sustainable development UNCED Section 36 : Promoting education, public awareness and training for sustainable development Kyoto Declaration In support of sustainable development CRE Copernicus Charter Universities in Europe agreed to enhance initiatives for sustainable development Thessaloniki Declaration Agreed to spread public awareness for sustainability WCHE The values of higher education must be to promote sustainable development Dakar Framework Quality education for all by 2015 UN Millenium summit Priority areas are peace, development, environment, human rights and protecting the vulnerable th 56 UN General Assembly MDG (Millenium Development Goals were adopted) World Summit on Sustainable Countries have adopted resolutions that development obstacles on sustainable development have to be removed

2002

Emphasis on education for sustainable development and international partnerships for these goals th 2002 57 UN General Assembly Decade as decade for education for sustainable development (2005-15) 2003 WCHE World Conference on Higher Education 2004 DESD Draft Decade for Education for sustainable Development 2005 DESD launched Decade (2005-15) of Education for Sustainable development. UN is supporting initiatives for sustainable development. International Trends with regard to courses, admissions and placements There are a large number of companies which have been set up in the recent past in the sectors relating to Green Technology, Geen Energy and Sustainable Development. Due to international funding, a large number of companies, organizations and institutions are to be set up in the future with in the sectors relating to sustainable development. Thus there is a need of skilled manpower as well as that of entrepreneurs in these sectors. We shall be able to meet this emerging need. There have been increase in courses towards sustainable development world over. Over 300 European universities have started courses on sustainable development. In India TERI University, NIRD Hyderabad, and a few other Universities have started courses on sustainable development. While the admission for traditional engineering and management courses is declining, the trend is towards courses on sustainable development and more and more students are opting for these courses. Through the courses on relative economics, we propose to promote social entrepreneurship in the sectors like education, green technology, renewable energy, social development, green initiatives etc. We propose to train students in these sectors, which will enable them to become social entrepreneurs. They will create employments. They will become the change makers of tomorrow and will create a series of enterprises in the direction of green technology and green economy. Since extensive subsidies, loans and financial support is available from the central government towards these sectors, our training will convert them into social entrepreneur earlier than expected. This will usher in a new era of development as more and more persons will move towards self employment through social development ventures. In the OECD benchmarking initiative on higher education for sustainable development, there was no Indian University. There are huge funding options available for setting up research centres in these sectors.

Ubuntu Declaration

Curriculum Designing for Relative Economics

Ideally a course on relative economics should have following contents : Theoretical contents :Fundamentals of Relative Economics Concepts of Syadvad, Aparigrah and Preksha Concepts of Self Discipline, Anuvrat and Tolerance Concept of Anupreksha Concept of Balanced Development Importance of Nature and wild life in our planet Social Entrepreneurship Social Development planning Practical Contents : Practical projects relating to nature, environment and civic life Field visits to forests, nature journey and visit to rural artisans and rural industries Field visits to industries working in Green Technology Field visits to NGOs promoting sustainable development Preparation of Business plans for social entrepreneurship Preparation of development plans and budgets based on the ideas of relative economics Budget Analysis Discussion on Budgets, Economic Reviews A number of Universities have started courses on Relative Economics. Their experiences can become a benchmark for us. These courses and courses on sustainable development may be started by Indian Universities. You can encourage your academic planners, deans, board of studies to offer such courses. You may start as follows : a. You may start as a separate paper b. You may start as a separate course on relative economics c. You may start as guest lectures / workshops on relative economics d. You may start as certificate programme / diploma on relative economics e. You may start research centres on relative economics and sustainable development We wish that you should emerge as pioneer in promoting this cause and set up an example before others. Your initiatives will be followed by others. We assure you of all our support in starting these courses. We firmly believe that you are the planners and visionary leaders and therefore you are interested in introducing courses which are different from the traditional courses and you wish to prepare students in the skill sets needed for the future. With the courses that we propose, you will develop students for

the careers for tomorrow, which will not just be a career, but a journey towards transforming our society for a better future. Please join together on this day and start. Conclusion The concept of relative economics will help us in developing the society on the path of sustainable development which is the need of the hour. The concept of relative economics will help us in preparing our development plans on broader framework. We shall be able to develop social entrepreneurs and managers as per the need of the tomorrow. We shall be able to prepare more responsible and concerned students through courses on relative economics. The roadmap of the discipline of relative economics is to be prepared jointly by the academicians and the beginning of the journey has to be started now. Those who take initiatives will become the pioneers in the movement towards sustainable development. This is the area where India should lead and give direction to the world. However, the European Universities have already started their initiatives. It is the right time that we should take up initiative for preparing our courses and curriculum towards relative economics.