OBREAL is pleased to have delivered a keynote speech at the FICCI Higher Education Summit 2024, a gathering that has drawn more than 1.000 participants. The Summit featured education luminaries, policymakers, scholars, and experts, “converging in a common platform to shape the future of higher education in India”.
OBREAL’s Director of Strategy, Nicolás Patrici, articulated a compelling vision for the future of higher education, underscoring the importance of collaboration between institutions across diverse regions. He emphasized the necessity of improving connections between the various Souths and Norths, addressing the pressing challenges of inequality and sustainability.
A central theme of his speech was the pivotal role of universities as agents of development, advocating for their repositioning to meet the evolving demands of society. He highlighted the critical need to promote interdisciplinary approaches to achieve meaningful research and stressed the importance of sharing solutions among different Souths to tackle common challenges.
Patrici also introduced OBREAL’s innovative AI and Multilingualism Program, designed to enhance the educational landscape by leveraging technology to support diverse learning environments. This initiative aims to promote inclusive education, ensuring that language barriers do not obstruct access to knowledge and resources.
The key role of universities in sustainable development
The Summit focused on the transformation of universities in India and the vital integration of technology in higher education with discussions and panels aimed at generating actionable recommendations for the Indian government.
The discussions reflected a consensus on the critical role of universities in advancing sustainability and addressing climate change and social inequality. OBREAL’s insights provided a comprehensive framework for these discussions, directly linking the importance of universities in fostering sustainable development with India’s new higher education policy, which aims to modernize educational frameworks and enhance universities’ contributions to national and global goals.
Next Steps to Shape Higher Education Policy
Looking ahead, OBREAL will participate in the APAIE Conference in March 2025, also in New Delhi, to present a paper titled “Building Symmetrical Partnerships for Development From a Global South Perspective.” This presentation will be in collaboration with Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro-Chancellor of Symbiosis International University and Chair of the FICCI Higher Education Sector, along with Celso Freire, President of FAUBAI. This engagement reflects OBREAL’s commitment to linking internationalization with development.
This initiative is part of OBREAL’s ongoing collaboration with partners such as Symbiosis International University and FAUBAI, aiming to promote a genuine interregional approach to the definition of higher education policy and to shape and inform the debates surrounding it.
