The Department of Education, University of Delhi, earlier known as CIE, is perhaps the first major institution of professional learning and research in Education that was established since independence. The first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and his first Education Minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad took considerable interest in its establishment in 1947 and activities and progress in those early years.  Maulana Azad visualized the function of it not merely to "turn out teachers who will be 'model teachers', but to evolve into a research centre for solving new educational problems of the country".  Maulana prophesized that it would grow into "a beacon light for training institutions of the country". Over these past decades, the Department has indeed grown into a pace-setting institution in Teacher Education and Educational Research. Recognized as the Institute of Advanced Studies in Education (IASE) and having launched the Maulana Azad Centre for Elementary and Social Education (MACESE), the Department has shaped its unique philosophy, which finds reflection in its all the programmes through inculcating core values of democracy, freedom, dedication, creativity, social responsibility, diversity, inclusion, collaborative and experiential learning, innovation, sincerity and excellence.