Faculty of Education

The planetary well-being today largely rests on the knowledge societies of the world that are open, equitable, and just. These knowledge societies not only steer human development but also focus on ecological balance that ensures this development is more encompassing and not remain anthropocentric.

India, as a nation has a lot to contribute in this direction through its philosophical exposition of the idea of education. India’s education sector is also among the largest globally in terms of student population, given the demographic dividend and institutional infrastructure. As the nation is poised to become the third largest economy, rich in its human resources, there is need to unearth its foundational ideas that not only make education an instrument of economic development but a canvas on which human life can live peacefully and thrive.

Symbiosis Society, the parent body of Symbiosis International (Deemed University) (SIU) entered the field of Education in 1971, with a vision to promote international understanding through quality education. This vision is further supported by its mission, which includes inculcating a global perspective, fostering national development, and developing global competencies among students and all its stakeholders.

In December 2024, SIU started the Faculty of Education with the objective of leading transformative education through multidisciplinary research, policy advocacy, and innovative studies and training with a focus on access and equity. The broad philosophy is to create a research-driven environment, encompassing national and global perspectives, laying emphasis on interdisciplinary and comparative studies in the field of education.

Over the last couple of years, SIU has set up the Symbiosis Centre for Ambedkar Studies – Dr Ambedkar Chair by the Dr Ambedkar Foundation (DAF) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and Symbiosis Centre for Higher Education Research and Policy Advocacy (SCHERPA), a policy observatory for shaping education systems through strategic research.

With research being the foundation on which these ideas are built for the future, the PhD program under the Faculty of Education gains extraordinary importance. The PhD Programme will be differentiated by the research rigour, bringing in the theoretical and contemporary frameworks, interdisciplinarity, keeping in mind the local, national, and global educational ecosystem, and importantly, driven ethically. The University is resource-rich with expert and committed mentors, a rich library and other infrastructure to steer research that can translate into policies and practices and hence transform the world around.