BHUBANESWAR, Mar 1
The Central Zone Vice Chancellors’ Meet, hosted by KIIT Deemed to be University (KIIT-DU) at KISS Deemed to be University (KISS-DU), concluded on Friday. The two-day event, organized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), focused on internationalizing higher education and strengthening global collaborations.
Themed “Globalization and Internationalization,” the meet covered key topics such as building international partnerships, attracting global students and faculty, and using digital tools for modern learning. Experts also discussed new assessment methods, including project-based learning and real-world problem-solving techniques.
AIU President, Prof. Vinay Kumar Pathak, emphasized the need for balanced international partnerships. “Strong negotiations with foreign universities are essential for meaningful collaborations,” he said.
AIU Secretary General, Prof. Pankaj Mittal, highlighted AIU’s role in shaping Indian higher education. With 1,068 member universities, including 19 from abroad, AIU is the world’s largest university association. It supports universities in their internationalization efforts.
Key speakers included:
- Prof. Amareswar Galla, UNESCO Chair on Inclusive Museums & Sustainable Heritage Development
- Prof. William Cope & Prof. Mary Kalantzis from the University of Illinois, who shared insights on global classrooms and cross-border learning.
The event was inaugurated by Prof. Saranjit Singh, Vice Chancellor of KIIT-DU, while Prof. Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty, Registrar of KISS-DU, gave the vote of thanks. Vijendra Kumar, Head of AIU’s Meetings Division, and nodal officers were also present.
Vice Chancellors from Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh attended the discussions, along with representatives from AICTE, NAAC, NDSC, and ICAR.
The recommendations from this meet will be presented at the National Conference of Vice Chancellors and will help shape a University Action Plan. This plan will be submitted to state Governors, the UGC, AICTE, NAAC, ICAR, and other higher education bodies for further action.
