Latest news with #Scopus
India Today
7 days ago
- Business
- India Today
A buffet of choices School of Hospitality & Tourism, Galgotias University, Greater Noida
Students at SOHT Galagotias thrive in a multidisciplinary learning environment that helps cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY & TOURISM, GALGOTIAS UNIVERSITY, GREATER NOIDA No. 24 (2025) up from No. 49 (2020) The School of Hospitality and Tourism (SOHT) at Galgotias University stands out as a premier institute due to its progressive, interdisciplinary and student-centric approach. 'Beyond traditional academics, we foster a multidisciplinary learning environment by integrating inputs from business, design, information technology and communication, ensuring students develop the holistic skills necessary for today's global hospitality industry,' says Prof. Rajiv Mishra, Dean, School of Hospitality and Tourism, Galgotias University, Greater Noida. One of the school's defining features is its commitment to experiential learning. Students engage in real-world projects such as local, community-based tourism development near Jewar Airport, Greater Noida, and live consultancy assignments for logistics and service sectors like the Indian Railways. The faculty contributes to industry knowledge through high-impact research on topics such as guest satisfaction technologies, sustainability in hospitality and digital innovation, with several works published in the abstract and citation database, Scopus, and other internationally indexed journals. Another hallmark of SOHT is its practical exposure through executive development workshops, culinary masterclasses and simulation-based training sessions. The school regularly organises hospitality hackathons and collaborative coursework co-designed with partners from the hotel industry. In terms of pedagogy, SOHT has implemented advanced evaluation systems based on Bloom's Taxonomy, a hierarchical framework of educational goals that encourage analytical thinking and deep learning. 'The school emphasises entrepreneurial development, providing incubation support and mentorship to students who wish to launch their own ventures. This has led to the successful establishment of hospitality enterprises like Urban Mirchi, Caf Mocha and Caf The Downtown by alumni,' adds Prof. Mishra. SOHT currently offers undergraduate programmes such as the Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM) and BSc in Hospitality Management. Aligned with NEP 2020, these programmes are structured around outcome-based learning (OBL) and project-based learning (PBL) models. With over 286 students currently enrolled, and hundreds of graduates successfully placed in leading hotel brands worldwide, SOHT consistently demonstrates exceptional academic and professional outcomes. A recent and notable development is the rise of a student-led governance ecosystem, where students actively contribute to quality assurance cells, feedback committees, event planning, and academic review panels. This participative model has enhanced accountability, strengthened student engagement, and significantly improved satisfaction levels.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
How rankings lead to the rise of academic commodification
Academic brilliance was once defined by the depth of scholarship, rigorous institutional processes, and a culture of inquiry nurtured by universities. Today, the focus has shifted to metrics, badges, and rankings. Institutions showcase it, scholars highlight it, and stakeholders treat it as a seal of quality. Yet, as with all that glitters, one must ask: what lies beneath? Today, Stanford is gaining recognition, alongside THE and QS rankings, despite the inherent flaws in all three. The Stanford ranking, for instance, seeks to identify the top 2% scientists in various disciplines based on a composite indicator. This includes bibliometric indicators such as total citations, h-index, co-authorship-adjusted metrics, and citations to papers in different authorship positions. While it appears scientific and data-driven, the exercise is not without flaws. For one, it depends entirely on Scopus data, a commercial database that does not cover all disciplines equally. Humanities and some Social Sciences are grossly underrepresented, leaving a large swath of global academia invisible in the analysis. Moreover, the focus on citation-based metrics incentivises quantity over quality. A well-written, widely-cited review paper can push a researcher up the ranks, while a game-changing monograph in philosophy may not even register. What makes it even more problematic is the blind application of these rankings by institutions. Without context, nuance, or disciplinary sensitivity, they are turned into marketing tools. It is less about a commitment to excellence and more about optics and prestige. The ranking becomes currency; a transactional marker to attract funding, students, and media attention. Indian context In India, the situation is more troubling. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has come under intense scrutiny after the recent revelation of a university in Andhra Pradesh allegedly paying crores to secure an A++ grade. Shockingly, nearly 20% of NAAC assessors were later removed due to various irregularities. The demand for a comprehensive probe into the assessments conducted by these discredited evaluators is reasonable and urgent. In recent years, many institutions have managed to secure top grades, which many argue is inconsistent with the ground reality of poor infrastructure, faculty shortages, and abysmal student outcomes. This raises a troubling question: Have we reduced institutional quality to a game of strategic networking, financial leverage, and performative documentation? One cannot ignore the systemic pressures at play. The increasing corporatisation of academia has introduced market logic into the university system. As public funding shrinks, universities — especially private ones — are forced to rely on student fees and external rankings to remain afloat. This leads to a dangerous feedback loop. To attract students, institutions ease academic regulations, reduce penalties for indiscipline, and adopt student-centric policies that often border on appeasement. Faculty, burdened with teaching, administrative tasks, and publication requirements, face burnout. In such an environment, rankings become not just desirable but necessary. They are wielded as shields in an ever-intensifying battle for survival. Institutions chase Scopus-indexed journals to meet regulatory demands, not for the love of scholarship. Researchers pay exorbitant fees to get published and, when that fails, some resort to unethical practices, only for their papers to be retracted later. Flawed model In this matrix of manipulation, it is easy to blame the institutions. But the deeper malaise lies in the very education model we have embraced: one that equates visibility with value, metrics with meaning, and reputation with reality. Awards, too, have not been spared. Today, one can pay a tidy sum and receive an 'Excellence in Research' award in a foreign country with a sightseeing tour and conference pass thrown in. These packages are marketed as academic opportunities but are, in truth, commodified experiences engineered to inflate CVs. We must ask: did our finest institutions of yesteryear depend on such scaffolding? The situation may seem bleak, but not hopeless. To reverse the tide, we need to recalibrate our priorities. First, we must advocate for more context-sensitive and peer-reviewed models of assessment that go beyond metrics. Second, public funding for education must be restored and enhanced. The commodification of education is not an inevitable outcome; it is the result of deliberate policy choices. Third, academia must reclaim its soul. Universities are not businesses, and education is not a product. Rankings can be tools, but they must not become our tyrants. The rot will deepen until we resist the seduction of easy prestige and short-term gains. It's time to stop asking how to climb the ranks and start asking how to make learning meaningful again. Views are personal The writer is a retired professor and former Dean, School of Arts and Humanities, Christ Deemed-to-be University, Bengaluru.
The Wire
20-06-2025
- Health
- The Wire
Somaiya Vidyavihar University Hosts Global Conference on Technologies for Energy, Agriculture & Healthcare (ICTEAH 2025) at the Somaiya Vidyavihar campus
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (NewsVoir) Somaiya Vidyavihar University, built on the proud 84-year legacy of the Somaiya Trust, successfully hosted the 2nd International Conference on Technologies for Energy, Agriculture, and Healthcare (ICTEAH-2025). Organised by the K J Somaiya School of Engineering, the conference brought together researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore transformative technologies shaping our collective future. The conference was inaugurated in the presence of distinguished dignitaries, including Dr. Sanjay Jambhulkar (Senior Scientist, BARC), Prof. V N Rajasekharan Pillai (Vice Chancellor, SVU and former Chairman, UGC), Dr. Suresh Ukarande (Director & Dean, K J Somaiya School of Engineering, Somaiya Vidyavihar University), Dr. Nandkumar Gilke (Registrar, SVU), and Dr. Shailesh Nikam (Organising Secretary and Professor). 'A new domain of epidemics is emerging from environmental risk factors. Climate change, even a rise of just 0.5 to 1 degree in temperature, is impacting 12% of the population by exacerbating heat-related diseases. Additionally, exposure to various artificial environmental agents poses significant health risks. This has led to the rise of exposomics, a new discipline focused on understanding the health effects of environmental exposures. Given these challenges, healthcare remains a critical focus area worldwide,' said Prof. V N Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University. With over 120 delegates, the conference featured 93 paper presentations and 7 posters, creating a vibrant platform for knowledge exchange in clean energy, precision agriculture, and digital healthcare. Selected papers will be published by Taylor & Francis with individual DOIs and will be submitted for Scopus indexing, significantly contributing to the global body of academic research. The highlights of the conference were dignitaries from various fields. Dr. Sanjay Jambhulkar (Senior Scientist, BARC) spoke about the use of new technologies in agriculture and food security, emphasising their critical role in building sustainable food systems. Dr. Sudhir Ranjan Jain (Somaiya Vidyavihar University) presented insights into quantum computation for energy, highlighting its potential to revolutionise energy systems and contribute to sustainability. Dr. Nandkumar Kunchge (Director, K J Somaiya Institute of Applied Agricultural Research, Sameerwadi) presented regenerative agriculture methods which are hoping to take agriculture back to its deep connection with Mother Nature. Dr. S. D. Sharma (Founder Auflows CardioTech Pvt. Ltd. and Retired Professor from IIT Bombay) presented palliative surgical procedures required for congenital heart disease patients having Univentricular hearts to help their pulmonary circulation. 'Energy, agriculture, and healthcare are the three critical pillars of our future. With rising population and urbanisation, the demand for renewable energy (i.e. solar, wind, tidal, and hydrogen) is only going to increase. Research in these areas is not just ongoing, it's essential. Tomorrow's breakthroughs may come from innovations and research e.g 2cm x 2cm solar panel generating the same power as today's larger systems (2m x 2m). This is where scientists, academicians, and industry leaders must come together to solve real-world challenges," said Dr. Suresh Ukarande, Director & Dean, K J Somaiya School of Engineering, Somaiya Vidyavihar University. In recognition of outstanding contributions, Best Paper Award from each domain were presented to Dr. Sarika Bukkawar, Mr. Haseen Shaikh, Ms. Sonia Pol and Mr. Nitish Yadav. Further, the best poster award was given to Ms. Alka Dattatray Gadakh. Certificates of Excellence acknowledged the commitment and performance of participants and student volunteers throughout the conference. The conference reaffirmed Somaiya Vidyavihar University's mission to bridge academic research with real-world impact. Through initiatives like ICTEAH, the University continues to align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, fostering innovation that serves both industry and society. About K J Somaiya School of Engineering - (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR This is an auto-published feed from PTI with no editorial input from The Wire.
Fashion Value Chain
19-06-2025
- Health
- Fashion Value Chain
Somaiya Vidyavihar University Hosts Global Conference on Technologies for Energy, Agriculture & Healthcare (ICTEAH 2025) at the Somaiya Vidyavihar campus
Somaiya Vidyavihar University, built on the proud 84-year legacy of the Somaiya Trust, successfully hosted the 2nd International Conference on Technologies for Energy, Agriculture, and Healthcare (ICTEAH-2025). Organised by the K J Somaiya School of Engineering, the conference brought together researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore transformative technologies shaping our collective future. The conference was inaugurated in the presence of distinguished dignitaries, including Dr. Sanjay Jambhulkar (Senior Scientist, BARC), Prof. V N Rajasekharan Pillai (Vice Chancellor, SVU and former Chairman, UGC), Dr. Suresh Ukarande (Director & Dean, K J Somaiya School of Engineering, Somaiya Vidyavihar University), Dr. Nandkumar Gilke (Registrar, SVU), and Dr. Shailesh Nikam (Organising Secretary and Professor). From L to R: Dr. Shailesh Nikam | Dr. Suresh Ukarande | Dr. Sanjay Jambhulkar | Prof. V N Rajasekharan Pillai | Dr. Nandkumar Gilke | Dr. Deepak Sharma | Dr. Nandana Prabhu | Dr. Makarand Kulkarni 'A new domain of epidemics is emerging from environmental risk factors. Climate change, even a rise of just 0.5 to 1 degree in temperature, is impacting 12% of the population by exacerbating heat-related diseases. Additionally, exposure to various artificial environmental agents poses significant health risks. This has led to the rise of exposomics, a new discipline focused on understanding the health effects of environmental exposures. Given these challenges, healthcare remains a critical focus area worldwide,' said Prof. V N Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University. With over 120 delegates, the conference featured 93 paper presentations and 7 posters, creating a vibrant platform for knowledge exchange in clean energy, precision agriculture, and digital healthcare. Selected papers will be published by Taylor & Francis with individual DOIs and will be submitted for Scopus indexing, significantly contributing to the global body of academic research. The highlights of the conference were dignitaries from various fields. Dr. Sanjay Jambhulkar (Senior Scientist, BARC) spoke about the use of new technologies in agriculture and food security, emphasising their critical role in building sustainable food systems. Dr. Sudhir Ranjan Jain (Somaiya Vidyavihar University) presented insights into quantum computation for energy, highlighting its potential to revolutionise energy systems and contribute to sustainability. Dr. Nandkumar Kunchge (Director, K J Somaiya Institute of Applied Agricultural Research, Sameerwadi) presented regenerative agriculture methods which are hoping to take agriculture back to its deep connection with Mother Nature. Dr. S. D. Sharma (Founder Auflows CardioTech Pvt. Ltd. and Retired Professor from IIT Bombay) presented palliative surgical procedures required for congenital heart disease patients having Univentricular hearts to help their pulmonary circulation. 'Energy, agriculture, and healthcare are the three critical pillars of our future. With rising population and urbanisation, the demand for renewable energy (i.e. solar, wind, tidal, and hydrogen) is only going to increase. Research in these areas is not just ongoing, it's essential. Tomorrow's breakthroughs may come from innovations and research e.g 2cm x 2cm solar panel generating the same power as today's larger systems (2m x 2m). This is where scientists, academicians, and industry leaders must come together to solve real-world challenges,' said Dr. Suresh Ukarande, Director & Dean, K J Somaiya School of Engineering, Somaiya Vidyavihar University. In recognition of outstanding contributions, Best Paper Award from each domain were presented to Dr. Sarika Bukkawar, Mr. Haseen Shaikh, Ms. Sonia Pol and Mr. Nitish Yadav. Further, the best poster award was given to Ms. Alka Dattatray Gadakh. Certificates of Excellence acknowledged the commitment and performance of participants and student volunteers throughout the conference. The conference reaffirmed Somaiya Vidyavihar University's mission to bridge academic research with real-world impact. Through initiatives like ICTEAH, the University continues to align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, fostering innovation that serves both industry and society. About K J Somaiya School of Engineering –
Hindustan Times
17-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Scientifically Speaking: How a fake journal is hijacking science
Samuel Westwood was building a fence gate from discarded pallet wood when the first email arrived. The psychologist from King's College London had spent his weekend on this modest carpentry project, and apart from a few wonky shelves he'd built over the years, it represented the entirety of his engineering expertise. So, when a stranger wrote asking if he was really the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, Westwood assumed it was spam. Then came another email. And another. 'I found out about a week ago that I am the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Engineering and Technology Management,' Westwood would later write on his blog in bewilderment. 'This is not normally how you find out you are an EiC.' But then again, this wasn't a normal journal. Westwood discovered a large-scale deception that targets researchers desperate for publications when career advancement depends on quantity over quality. What Westwood had stumbled upon was a brazen academic fraud operating in plain sight. A website claiming to be the Journal of Engineering and Technology Management (with an impact factor of 4.8) was selling quick publications to researchers for 2000 INR or $100 USD, promising peer review and open access publication in just two days. They had stolen Westwood's name to lend credibility to their operation, apparently choosing him at random from UK university directories. The real journal, published by Elsevier since 1984 with a 3.7 impact factor, focuses on R&D management and the intersection of technology and business strategy. It's indexed in Scopus, maintains rigorous peer review standards, and publishes carefully curated research that advances the field of technology management. The fake journal, operating from will publish literally anything. Also Read: Scientifically speaking: Your nose knows best Volume 76 alone contains over 60 papers, suggesting this operation has published thousands of fraudulent papers generating crores of rupees. A visit to their most recent issue reveals the spectacular scope of this academic farce. Readers will find papers on any topic under the sun. In fact, the same paper on AI in recruitment appears twice in the same issue. The sheer absurdity might be comical if the implications weren't so serious. Each of these papers comes with what appears to be a DOI, a digital object identifier that in legitimate publishing provides a permanent link to scholarly work. The fake journal's DOIs lead nowhere. They're not registered with Crossref, the standard agency that assigns and verifies DOIs. But they look real enough on a CV. This is academic CV laundering at its most transparent. Researchers with weak or irrelevant work pay to have it 'published' in what appears to be a prestigious journal, then use that publication to pad their credentials. The fee structure is telling: 2000 INR or $100 USD. The Indian rupee pricing reveals the target market, and author affiliations confirm it. The overwhelming majority are researchers at Indian institutions. The fee is cynically calibrated. It is affordable enough for desperate researchers, yet when multiplied by sixty-plus papers per issue, it creates a lucrative revenue stream for scammers who barely lift a finger to format the submissions. The documents appear exactly as submitted, without even basic typesetting or layout- the absolute minimum effort for maximum profit. They're not even pretending to be publishers, they're simply selling receipts. The victims extend far beyond the legitimate journal whose reputation is being hijacked. Westwood heard from one researcher who wanted to submit their paper elsewhere after getting it accepted at the fake journal, only to find other journals wouldn't review it because it was flagged as plagiarized content. Their research was trapped forever in a fraudulent repository, their academic career potentially derailed by one wrong submission. Then there are honest researchers competing for positions and funding against colleagues who have padded their CVs with fake publications. Every fraudulent paper makes merit harder to measure and rewards deception over genuine scholarship. The entire academic ecosystem suffers when publication counts matter more than publication quality. Yet the operation continues brazenly. They seem to understand that the academic system's own weaknesses protect them: the pressure to publish is so intense, the number of journals so vast, and the verification systems so weak that they can operate almost with impunity. One wonders about the authors themselves. Can someone submitting a paper on ancient Indian mathematics to an engineering management journal really believe they're engaging in legitimate scholarship? When the same issue contains papers on everything from cosmic philosophy to thyroid disorders, doesn't the fraud become obvious to all participants? The fake journal's editorial board lists names with no institutional affiliations, submissions run through Gmail addresses rather than official publisher emails, and they promise 'blind peer review' while guaranteeing publication in two days, a timeline any academic knows is impossible for genuine review. It's not hard to identify this journal as a fraudulent one, and we can say with confidence that most of those who brazenly pay to post their unedited documents ('publish' is too strong a word) know exactly what they're getting themselves into. Perhaps that's the most troubling aspect of this scandal: it suggests a level of complicity that goes beyond individual bad actors. Universities that accept such fraudulent publications for promotion decisions, funding bodies that count papers without reading them, and academic departments that prioritize quantity over quality all enable an ecosystem of deception. As India builds its research capacity, these fraudulent shortcuts undermine genuine scientific progress. India has world-class institutions, but it also has people who are willing to post their work in places like this. The solution requires academic institutions to institute checks of publications before counting them. Funding agencies need fraud detection protocols. And researchers must bear the consequences of abetting a fraudulent system. The website remains active as of this writing. New papers appear, each author adding their name to a growing list of those who have chosen shortcuts over scholarship. The real Journal of Engineering and Technology Management continues its legitimate work, even as its reputation erodes with fraudulent use of its name. And somewhere another unsuspecting academic is about to discover they've become the face of a journal they've never heard of, in a field they've never studied, enabling fraud they never chose to be a part of. Anirban Mahapatra is a scientist and author, most recently of the popular science book, When The Drugs Don't Work: The Hidden Pandemic That Could End Medicine. The views expressed are personal. Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
