Bhubaneswar: The two-day Central Zone Vice-Chancellors’ meet of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), hosted by KIIT Deemed to be University (KIIT-DU) at the KISS Deemed to be University here, brought together thought leaders and academicians from across the country to discuss strategies for global collaborations in education.
Themed ‘Globalization and Internationalization,’ the conference deliberated on topics such as strategies for international collaborations, global classrooms, attracting international faculty and students, and the challenges and opportunities in the internationalization of higher education.
The conference also saw discussions on innovative assessment and evaluation practices, emphasising on project-based learning, experiential assessments and digital technologies to enhance critical thinking, creativity, and real-world problem-solving skills among students.
“We are focusing on fostering partnerships with various countries and ensuring a balanced approach. Hard negotiations with international universities are required to achieve meaningful collaborations,” said AIU president Prof. Vinay Kumar Pathak.
AIU Secretary General Prof. Pankaj Mittal highlighted AIU’s pivotal role in shaping Indian higher education.
AIU is the world’s largest association of universities, with 1,068 member universities, including 19 foreign institutions, under its umbrella.
Prof. Amareswar Galla, UNESCO Chair on Inclusive Museums & Sustainable Heritage Development and Pro-Chancellor, KISS-DU, Prof. William Cope and Prof. Mary Kalantzis from University of Illinois shared their insights on fostering global classrooms and cross-border academic exchanges.
Vice-chancellors from the Central Zone, representing Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, as well as representatives from AICTE, NAAC, NDSC, and ICAR attended the event.
Recommendations made at the conference will be presented at the National Conference of Vice-Chancellors, culminating in a University Action Plan that will be submitted to Governors of all states, Ministries, and apex higher education bodies such as UGC, AICTE, NAAC, and ICAR for necessary actions.
