Nov 6 -7, 2023
In a significant stride towards advancing the Internationalization Strategies of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the International Relations (IR) Office of IIT Roorkee organized “All IITs International Relations Conclave 2023” on November 6 and 7, 2023. This event united the International Relations Offices of various IITs, providing a collaborative platform to address the intricate challenges woven into the fabric of international education collaboration.
The conclave served as a melting pot of ideas, bringing together stakeholders, thought leaders, experts, and representatives from academia and funding agencies. The overarching aim was to engage in extensive dialogues, brainstorming sessions, and knowledge sharing on strategies for the internationalization of higher education within the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology system.
The inaugural session set the tone for the event, featuring a distinguished panel of dignitaries, including Prof. K. K. Pant (Director, IIT Roorkee), Dr S. K. Varshney (International Cooperation, Department of Science and Technology), Prof. Nitin Seth (Director, Indo-French Centre for Promotion of Advanced Research – IFCPAR / CEFIPRA), Dr B. Chandrasekar (Executive Director, Corporate Planning, EdCIL (India) Limited), Prof. V. C. Srivastava (Dean, International Relations), and Prof. Ankit Agarwal (PI, CoPREPARE).
Dr PV Lalitha (IGSTC) and Ms Priya Thomas (IUSSTF) enlightened the audience by sharing details of various programs/schemes/grant calls by their respective agencies.
The conclave unfolded seamlessly through a meticulously curated series of enlightening plenary sessions, each meticulously examining crucial facets of internationalization. The selection of topics was a thoughtful effort by Prof Ankit Agrawal, Prof V C Srivastava, Dr Shantanu Wahal, and Dr Ravikant Ranjan from the organizing IR Office of IIT Roorkee. Spanning diverse areas, the discussions encompassed “International Students: Challenges Ahead” and “International Networking & Faculty Exchange” to “Challenges of IR Office: Open Discussions” and “Responsibilities & Digitization of IR Office.” Prof Anil Kumar Gourishetty, Prof Ankit Agrawal, Prof Gaurav Raheja, Prof P Arumugam & Prof V C Srivastava convened different sessions and engaged with audience members for active discussions.
The digitization efforts of the IR Office at IIT Roorkee received unanimous acclaim from all participants, underscoring the event’s forward-thinking approach. The commendable work of the IT Team, led by Mr Ravi Kumar & Mr Ravikant Saini of the IR Office, was particularly acknowledged for enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of the IR processes. Their dedication and expertise played a pivotal role in elevating the overall experience of the conclave.
These engaging sessions witnessed active participation from various IITs, showcasing the collective commitment to addressing the challenges and opportunities inherent in international education collaboration. Integral to the conclave was an open forum for discussions and a Q&A session, where participants were encouraged to pose questions and share their viewpoints. Noteworthy contributors included Ms Kavitha G R (IIT Palakkad), Prof. R. M. Bhattacharjee (IIT Dhanbad), Prof. Tarun Kanti Panda (IIT Hyderabad), Dr Rukmankesh (IIT Bhilai), Mr Rajan Thomas (IIT Indore), Ms Prerna Gupta (IIT Kanpur), Prof Kabeer Jasuja (IIT Gandhinagar), Prof Tulika P Srivastava (IIT Mandi), Ms Kaushiki Mukherjee (IIT Kharagpur), Dr Shantanu Wahal (IIT Roorkee), and Dr Ravikant Ranjan (IIT Roorkee).
Beyond the enlightening plenary sessions, the conclave unfolded a vibrant cultural evening, skilfully presented by the international students of IIT Roorkee. Orchestrated by the adept International Students Affairs Council (ISAC) team and supported by Mrs. Chitra Maini (AR, IR Office, IITR), the event showcased a captivating array of cultural activities, adding a colourful and impressive dimension to the overall conclave experience.
The cultural evening was followed by an exquisite dinner at the Director’s Lodge (IIT Roorkee), where all the participants and Deans (IITR) were cordially invited.
Following the valedictory session, participants had the opportunity to visit the IR office and engage in insightful discussions about its structure and activities at IIT Roorkee. They interacted with the dedicated IR Office staff members, explored nearby tourist places in Haridwar, and spent serene moments at the banks of the holy river Ganges. This excursion was skillfully coordinated by Mr Vipin Kumar & Mr Waseem Akhtar (IR, Office, IIT-R).
The event proved to be a resounding success, with participants from all IITs contributing key insights. As a promising follow-up, it was proposed that all the discussion points would be diligently shared.
The tireless efforts of Mr Pramod Kumar, Mr Vipin Kumar, Mr Anup Rajput, Mr Rajesh Dubey, Mr Ashish Kumar, and Mr Waseem Akhtar (IR Office, IIT-R) played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the conclave. Special appreciation was extended to Mr Pankaj Kumar & Mr Deepak Kumar for their invaluable support in ensuring the smooth execution of the event.
This conclave not only underscored the importance of collaboration but also served as a catalyst for knowledge exchange and collective problem-solving. As the IITs continue to strengthen global connections, the All IITs International Relations Conclave stands as a resounding testament to the unwavering commitment to excellence in international education collaboration.
The details of plenary sessions have been listed here:
Plenary Session 1- Int’l Students: Challenges Ahead : International Student Admission: Challenges
[ Dr. B Chandrasekar (SII, EdCIL), Prof Anil Kumar Gourishetty (IIT Roorkee), Prof V C Srivastava (Dean (IR), IITR ]
Plenary Session 2- Int’l Networking & Faculty Exchange : International Networking & Collaborations
[ Dr. S K Varshney & Team (DST/ IUSSTF/ CEFIPRA/ IGSTC), Prof Ankit Agrawal (DAAD Ambassador, IITR) ]
Plenary Session 3- Challenges of IR Office (Open Discussions) Learnings from Experiences of IR Staff, Student Exchange, Joint Degree Programs
[ Prof Gaurav Raheja (DAAD Ambassador, IIT R), Prof V C Srivastava , Dean (IR), IIT R ]
Session 4- Responsibilities & Digitization of IR Office: Improvement, Responsibilities, Digitization of IR Office
[ Prof P Arumugam, Former Dean (IR), IIT R , Prof V C Srivastava , Dean (IR), IIT R ]