EDGE Conference inaugurated to shape the future
More than 400 delegates from across the world attending

 

New Delhi, 10th March, 2011: EDGE conference inaugurated today by Shri Kapil Sibal, Hon’ble Union Minister for HRD and Communications and Information Technology, GoI, is a global platform aiming to shape the future of Indian Higher Education. The annual EDGE conference brings together Vice-Chancellors, Presidents, Directors, Professors, Education Councils, Entrepreneurs and policy makers to interact, collaborate and understand the prevailing trends in the higher education sector. 3-day EDGE conference is being held at India Habitat Center in Delhi from 9th to 11th March, 2011.

 

Addressing the gathering Shri Kapil Sibal said, “India is to become the ‘centre of gravity in global Higher education. We are at the cusp of next revolution in education in India and more investment in higher education is the only way forward. Financing education is a government commitment and our national duty with no strings attached. What we need is a change of mindset among all stakeholders in the higher education sector. We must also ensure teaching profession gets highest priority.”

 

Well-known educator, scientist and institution builder, Prof. C.N.R. Rao was honoured with the EDGE Education Personality of the Year Award. The award was conferred in recognition of his extraordinary and exemplary contribution to higher education sector. While receiving the award Prof. Rao commented, “We teachers are to give everything we have and not to expect anything back.”

 

As 40 million youth look for higher education by the year 2020 compared to 17 million currently, the sector needs to act now to fully exploit our demographic potential. Higher Education would need 1 million faculties to teach them and would need more than 504 universities that are present now. Stakeholders in the sector need to explore various options to achieve the government set target of Gross Enrollment Ratio of 30% by 2020 from the present 13.5%.

 

Dr. S.B. Mujumdar, Chancellor, Symbiosis International University and Patron of EDGE Forum said, “The idea of EDGE conference is to connect good institutions and universities in India to collaborate and co-operate to find solutions for many challenges of our country. We intent to bridge the gap between government, colleges and universities which will speed up the process of expansion and inclusion in the higher education sector in India.”

 

Dignitaries present during inauguration are Prof. C.N.R. Rao, Chairman, Science Advisory Council to Prime Minister, National Research Professor & Linus Pauling Research Professor and Honorary President, JNCASR, Bangalore, Dr. Ayoub Kazim, MD, Dubai Knowledge Village & Dubai International Academic City, Prof Bertil Andersson, Provost, Nanyang Technological University, Mr. Ajit Gulabchand, Chairman, Lavasa Corporation, Dr. V.S. Ramamurthy, Director, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Dr. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice Chancellor, IGNOU, Dr. S.B. Mujumdar, Chancellor, Symbiosis International University.

 

Vice-Chancellor of IGNOU and Academic Programme Committee Chairman of EDGE 2011, Prof. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai said, “EDGE is the foremost platform for the stakeholders in Higher Education sector in India and the world to converge. Interactions at the platform will help us act together towards identified goals with a beneficial intent for the education sector”

The Conference will be addressed by 70 leading personalities including Smt D. Purandeswari, Hon’ble Minister of State for Human Resource Development, GoI, Shri. Rajesh Ankushrao Tope, Hon’ble Minister for Higher & Technical Education, Government of Maharashtra, Dr. Narendra Jadhav, Member, Planning Commission, Ms. Vibha Puri Das, Secretary (SE & HE), Dept. of Higher Education, Ministry of HRD, GoI, Mr. Amit Khare, Joint Secretary, Department of Higher Education, MHRD, GoI; Ms. Marlene M. Johnson, Executive Director and CEO, NAFSA.

 

'Shaping the Future of Indian Higher Education’ is the theme for EDGE 2011 Conference. Conference will cover various critical topics for the sector like International Partnerships, Future of Medical Education, Vocational Education, Education Infrastructure, Funding Education, Frontiers of New Assessments, ICT for Next Generation Learning Environments, Creativity in Higher Education, Medical Education and Education Policy Framework.

 

4 Workshops were conducted covering diverse topics like New Models of Admissions by the College Board, USA; Governance Issues in Educational Institutions by IIM-Bangalore; Making International Partnerships Work by Symbiosis and What it takes to be in Top 100 by QS Apple. More than 30 international institutions from USA, France, Singapore, Australia, Dubai and Canada are exploring partnerships with Indian Institutions.

 

The event also consists of EduExpo for Educational Institutions, Publishing Houses, IT Companies, and other service providers. Two important Research Reports by Ernst & Young and Parthenon are being be released. The Young EDGE Award for Leadership will also be presented at the EDGE Conference to an emerging leader in education. The past recipients are Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar and Shri Achyuta Samanta.

EDGE Forum announces the 4th edition of the annual Conference EDGE 2011, the premier event for higher education scheduled between 9 – 11 March, 2011 at the India Habitat Center, New Delhi, India.

Indian education sector is at the cusp of change; the Indian government has recognised it as a priority and is on the national agenda. The education fraternity is gearing up for revolutionary changes in all aspects of the sector. International institutions are increasingly looking at India be it for collaborations, research or student recruitment. At this juncture it is important to adopt the right systems, policies, ideals and methods for a robust education system.Therefore 'SHAPING THE FUTURE OF INDIAN HIGHER EDUCATION' has been chosen as a theme for EDGE 2011 Conference.

The annual EDGE (Emerging Directions in Global Education) conference is one of its kind event which will bring together decision-makers to interact, collaborate and understand the prevailing trends in the higher education sector. The conference is scheduled on 9 – 11, March 2011 at the Indian Capital New Delhi, India.

EDGE welcomes you to join your fellow higher education professionals for focus-workshops, conference sessions, Vision Talk and lectures which underscore the current trends in the higher education sector.

• International Conference
• Intensive Workshops
• Exhibition
• EDGE Awards
• Vision Talk
• EduPartnering