Conversation between Dr. Devan and Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis SJ, Vice Chancellor of St. Aloysius Deemed to be University
- The institution’s journey reflects a vision of academic excellence, research, international collaboration, and a renewed commitment to society.
For more than a century (146 years), St. Aloysius has been an integral part of Mangaluru’s educational and cultural landscape. Rooted in the Jesuit tradition of academic excellence, character formation, and service to society, the institution has built a legacy that extends far beyond the classroom. Today, it is entering a new chapter, seeking to combine its distinguished heritage with the opportunities and challenges of modern higher education.
At the heart of this transformation is a vision to take the institution beyond its traditional role as a college and establish it as a university capable of expanding academic opportunities, strengthening research, building international partnerships, and preparing students for a rapidly changing world.
A Historic Institution Embraces a New Vision
Institutions with a long history face a distinctive challenge: preserving the values that made them respected while adapting to a world that demands new skills, technologies, and educational approaches. For St. Aloysius, the answer has been to build upon its established strengths while exploring new possibilities. The university’s evolution reflects an ambition to make quality higher education more accessible, relevant, and globally connected.
During an engaging conversation with Dr. Devan, Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis SJ described the journey as a collective effort rooted in faith, perseverance, and the commitment of the institution’s stakeholders. While leadership provided direction, he emphasized that the transformation would not have been possible without the involvement of faculty members, students, and the wider institutional community. This collective spirit has been central to the university’s development. Rather than viewing institutional growth as the achievement of one individual, the journey illustrates what becomes possible when a community recognizes its potential and works towards a shared objective.
The Journey Towards University Status
The vision to transform St. Aloysius into a university began taking concrete shape in 2017. The process involved preparing the necessary documentation, defining an institutional vision and mission, and engaging with the authorities responsible for higher education. Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis SJ recalled that the journey required sustained effort and patience. Progress was not always straightforward, and the process encountered periods when advancement slowed. He recalled travelling to New Delhi more than 50 times to pursue the proposal and engage with policymakers.
The effort eventually culminated in the institution becoming a university in 2024, following a journey that had begun seven years earlier. The significance of this transition extended beyond a change in designation. University status opened opportunities to develop new academic programmes, exercise academic autonomy within the applicable regulatory framework, strengthen research, and explore new approaches to teaching and learning. For an institution with such a long history, the transition represented both a milestone and a responsibility: to translate its expanded opportunities into meaningful outcomes for students and society.
Recognition and the Pursuit of Excellence
The university’s subsequent institutional recognition became another important milestone in its development. Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis SJ highlighted the institution’s NAAC A++ accreditation, awarded with a score of 3.67 in 2023, and its subsequent attainment of Category I status. He described these achievements as evidence of the confidence placed in the institution and its capacity to undertake further academic development.
Such recognition can create opportunities for institutions to strengthen their academic and research activities. Yet its lasting value lies in what follows: better learning environments, stronger research cultures, opportunities for faculty development, and improved educational experiences for students. For St. Aloysius, the challenge is to build upon these achievements while maintaining the academic standards and values that have shaped its identity.
Expanding the Academic Horizon
One of the most visible aspects of the university’s transformation is its expansion into new areas of study. With the addition of the School of Engineering, the School of Law, and the School of Education, the institution has broadened its academic offerings. Programmes in computer science, information science and technology, artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, and data science reflect the growing importance of technology in education and employment.
These developments respond to a changing professional landscape in which graduates need both strong subject knowledge and the ability to adapt to emerging industries. The university is also introducing artificial intelligence components into its academic programmes and encouraging students to pursue supplementary learning through platforms such as SWAYAM, NPTEL, and Coursera.
The broader objective is to ensure that students are not limited to the requirements of a conventional degree. They should be encouraged to develop additional competencies, engage with emerging knowledge, and prepare themselves for careers that may continue to evolve throughout their working lives. Equally important is the university’s intention to provide quality education at reasonable fees, enabling students to pursue newer academic opportunities without necessarily having to leave Mangaluru.
Research and International Collaboration
Modern universities are increasingly judged not only by the education they deliver but also by the knowledge they generate and the connections they establish with the wider world. St. Aloysius is seeking to strengthen both dimensions. Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis SJ described a growing research community comprising more than 72 research guides and over 200 research scholars at the time of the interview. These figures reflect the university’s stated ambition to develop a stronger research culture alongside its teaching activities.
International partnerships are another part of this strategy. The university has reported more than 50 international collaborations spanning institutions across different parts of the world. These relationships create opportunities for student exchanges, faculty mobility, collaborative research, study tours, and exposure to different academic environments.
Experiences such as overseas study programmes can broaden students’ understanding of their subjects while helping them develop confidence, independence, and a wider perspective on professional opportunities. The university’s planned visits to institutions in Vietnam, along with student study tours to Hong Kong and Macau, illustrate its efforts to make international exposure part of the educational experience. The long term value of these collaborations will depend on the depth of the academic work they support and the extent to which students and faculty benefit from sustained engagement.
From Job Seekers to Job Creators
A further dimension of the university’s vision is its emphasis on entrepreneurship. In a changing economy, a degree alone may not be sufficient to guarantee a successful career. Students increasingly need initiative, problem solving abilities, creativity, and the confidence to turn ideas into practical ventures. St. Aloysius has sought to encourage this mindset through workspaces and support for students interested in developing businesses and innovative projects.
Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis SJ noted that two undergraduate students had already established their own companies after working on their ideas and exploring how to develop them into viable ventures. He expressed the hope that more students would follow this path, building enterprises that could create employment and contribute to Mangaluru’s economic development.
This approach has implications beyond the individual student. When universities encourage entrepreneurship, they can help connect education with local economic growth, innovation, and the creation of new employment opportunities. The aspiration is not simply to prepare graduates to enter the existing job market, but to equip them to contribute to its expansion.
The Enduring Strength of Alumni
The story of an educational institution is also the story of the people who carry its influence into the wider world. St. Aloysius has sought to strengthen these relationships through alumni interactions, mentoring, career guidance, and professional networking. Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis SJ described plans for regular alumni engagement across the university’s schools, allowing former students to share their experiences and help current students navigate career choices.
One particularly meaningful example is the story of Manohar Watsa, who, according to the interview, received educational support from the institution when he was an orphan. His son, Prem Watsa, later returned to the campus and interacted with students. Such stories illustrate how educational opportunities can have effects that extend across generations.
Alumni contributions may take many forms, from sharing professional knowledge and helping students access internships to supporting scholarships, research, and infrastructure. The university also welcomes endowments to support scholarships, conferences, research, and other educational initiatives. These contributions can help create opportunities for future students while preserving a lasting connection between donors and the institution.
A Wider Vision for the Future
The university’s ambitions extend beyond its present campus. Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis SJ discussed plans for an off campus centre in Hassan and the possibility of exploring overseas campuses, including in the Gulf region. These proposals reflect an interest in making the institution’s educational offerings accessible to a wider population. Such expansion could create opportunities for students who might otherwise face geographical barriers to accessing higher education. However, successful expansion will require careful planning, regulatory approvals, sustainable funding, and consistent academic standards across locations.
The objective must remain the delivery of an educational experience that reflects the institution’s values and quality expectations, wherever its students study. At the same time, the university’s commitment to holistic education remains central to its identity. Academic achievement, professional competence, research, and entrepreneurship are important, but they are not the only measures of educational success. The formation of responsible, compassionate, and socially conscious individuals remains equally important.
The Human Values Behind Institutional Growth
Towards the end of the conversation, Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis SJ offered advice to students that extended beyond examinations and careers. He emphasized the importance of concentration, continuous learning, humility, good intentions, and respect for others. Students, he argued, must develop deeper knowledge in their chosen fields while remaining alert to new discoveries and changes in society.
His observation that greater knowledge should bring greater humility captures an enduring principle of education: learning is most valuable when it enables individuals to contribute meaningfully to the lives of others. This emphasis on character complements the university’s efforts to expand its academic programmes and international presence. It reflects the belief that education should prepare students not merely for employment, but also for responsible participation in society.
Looking Beyond the Milestone
The transformation of St. Aloysius into a university marks an important stage in the institution’s long history. Its expanding academic portfolio, research ambitions, international partnerships, entrepreneurship initiatives, and alumni engagement point towards a broader vision for its future. Yet the ultimate measure of this transformation will not be the number of programmes introduced, partnerships announced, or recognitions received. It will be the quality of education experienced by students, the knowledge generated by its researchers, the opportunities made accessible to deserving young people, and the contribution its graduates make to society.
The institution now faces the challenge and opportunity of translating its ambitions into lasting outcomes. If it can combine the strengths of its heritage with academic innovation, research, international engagement, and a continuing commitment to human values, St. Aloysius can build a future that honours its past while responding confidently to the demands of a new generation. Its journey is therefore not simply about becoming a university. It is about defining what a historic educational institution can become when it draws upon its legacy, mobilizes its community, and commits itself to a wider horizon of learning and service.
