India Needs To Be Open For Business

Dilip Thakore interviewed the Rt. Hon’ble Lord Swraj Paul, chairman of the Caparo Group Ltd, London.

- Dilip Thakore

As chancellor of the Thames Valley and Wolverhampton universities, you are actively engaged with higher education in the UK. To what extent, if at all do you share the pessimism of academics who say that learning outcomes and research standards in the UK are plunging?

I am chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, a position I have held since 1999, soon after stepping down as chancellor of Thames Valley University — now known as University of West London. I also stepped down as chancellor of Westminster University in 2015 after serving there for nine years.

As far as the University of Wolverhampton is concerned, we are actively upgrading our facilities and research and have made a lot of progress. Wolverhampton University is as good as any global university in terms of inputs and outcomes. This year, over 7,000 students participated in graduation ceremonies staged in 12 countries, which goes to show not only the reach of this university but also the increasingly global make-up of higher education.

Would it be accurate to state that you have retired from the businesses of the Caparo Group and are now fully focused on the education promotion activities of the Ambika Paul Foundation and other charitable trusts established by you?