The Indian Institute of Technology Ropar (IIT Ropar) is all set to host the 2nd Education Working Group meeting on “Strengthening Research and Innovation through collaboration” between March 15-17, 2023 in Amritsar. The event will focus on the identification of relevant policies and best practices for research and innovations from the deliberations of G20 member nations.
Through this event, the government intends to create closer ties with the G20 member nations and collectively respond to the issues each country has in reaching SDG goals. The discussions will also concentrate on methods and tactics, such as cooperative initiatives that could be undertaken/implemented, to encourage collaboration in many fields.
The participants in this meeting include representatives of international organizations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank, and OECD, among others.
The event will emphasize research and innovation, as well as the effect of collaboration on the performance of G20 member nations. The key sessions on research and innovations would help in reducing inequality of a different kind inside and between countries, innovations for sustainable agriculture for getting high yield and reducing food waste, the role of academia in cheap and sustainable energy research and innovation, and the innovations for environmentally conscious and accountable industrialization.
Besides focusing on accessing research and innovation opportunities on an equitable basis, focusing on women and socially and economically disadvantaged groups, the deliberation would also help in strategizing methods to expand collaboration among G20 member nations to improve research, open access, and innovation promotion and to reduce barriers towards research mentoring and cross-institutional collaboration, etc.
Professor Rajeev Ahuja, Director, IIT Ropar said the G20 event, allotted to the IIT by the Ministry of Education, would help in ensuring a roadmap for multi-partner collaborations; to facilitate accessibility and provision of research materials, reducing the gap between industry-academia, thereby discovering and identifying relevant policies and practices for research and innovations. This way would lead to establishing long-lasting collaborations for equitable quality research in G20 member Nations while following the theme of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – One Earth, One Family, One Future.
Further, an exhibition of disruptive technologies and innovations with 100 stalls is also being set up by the ITI as a part of this grand event for delegates. These stalls will encompass startups/technologies from India and G20 member nations to get a feel of the global scenario of innovations for the betterment of humankind.
Some more participants of this seminar include
1. G20 Education Working Group members from each G20 member country, guest countries, and International Organizations.
2. Representatives of select academic institutions in G20 member countries that are engaged in initiatives promoting digital technologies to ensure quality learning opportunities for all and improve learning outcomes.
3. Representatives of knowledge partners from India and G20 countries.
During the past few years, all G20 member countries have made significant progress in expanding research collaboration to generate evidence-based solutions to specific global concerns. Given SDG4-Education 2030 agenda, the remarkable advances relating to research and innovations must be harnessed to transform educational systems to improve learning outcomes, promote lifelong learning, and narrow persistent learning deficits.