Page 9 - CRISP-Newsletter-Feb-2024

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FellowSpeak

The past year has been an enriching experience in teaching and the best
for me, both personally and professionally. CRISP moment for me is to see
has provided me an opportunity to understand the the look on their faces full of
nuances of administration and the importance of hope. The ultimate beneficiary
meeting targets while promoting the objectives of is the student in the education sector and we have
the National Education Policy 2020. I work closely successfully been able to introduce the concept of
with the Regional Higher Education Officers from “Earn While You Learn” by launching Apprenticeship
the Government side and the Vice Chancellors and Embedded Degree Courses.
Registrars of the different Universities in the field.
This unique learning has helped me in devising I am living my dream to bring data-driven policy
strategies for transforming Higher Education in change in the education sector that too at such a
the state of Uttar Pradesh. Suggestions and inputs large scale by bringing my theoretical knowledge
I received from the honorable members of CRISP into practice. All the Action Plans presented to the
and other colleagues have also expanded my Department of Higher Education are on the basis of
understanding of the whole process. Theory of Change which gives the systematic approach
to achieve our targets.
I have sharpened my public speaking skills while
conducting the capacity building workshops in more Rahul Abrol
than 12 Districts of UP and interacted with more
than 6 Vice Chancellors of the Universities. These Fellow- CRISP Uttar Pradesh Team
academicians have more than 20 years of experience

As a part of the first cohort of CRISP fellows, I was amazed by the high degree
of passion, enthusiasm, and professionalism reflected by the members of CRISP
over the last year. The organization offered me the opportunity to work closely
with the higher education departments of UP and Telangana. This journey has been
transformative as it has taught me how to be patient, course-correct, manage frustrations, and appreciate
the on-ground fervor for change. Moreover, the robust mentorship structure, built upon the 400+
combined years of experience of the founding members and state leads, provides a vast pool of wisdom.
This exposure has helped me hone my overall understanding of the realities of administrative structures,
develop the skills to deal with various stakeholders effectively, and refine my research abilities. Alongside
routine tasks, CRISP also conducts dynamic retreats where we learn from experts and foster collaborations
with other fellows, even though we all work in different parts of the country. Overall, I would describe
my journey at CRISP as ‘invigorating’ and ‘challenging’. I believe that emerging from this well-rounded
fellowship program will surely build innate confidence and proficiency to become a leader in any role and
sphere of my professional life.

Surbhi Kak
Fellow- CRISP Telangana Team

MAASAM | FEB | 9