International conference dwells on transforming higher education for future

Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET), in collaboration with the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR), Chandigarh, organised an international conference on — “Transforming

higher education for the future: Education 4.0 (THEC 2025)”. The conference witnessed participation of 173 research papers received from India and abroad, of which 63 per cent were selected following a review by independent experts and international referees.

After the technical session presentations, 12 papers stood out for their depth, originality and potential impact and were recognised as commendable contributions to the field. The two-day event brought together eminent academicians, researchers, policymakers and industry leaders to deliberate on the evolving paradigms of higher education in the digital era. The occasion marked the presence of chief guest Prof Suman Chakraborty, Director, IIT, Kharagpur, whose keynote address set the tone for the deliberations to follow. Prof Chakraborty drew attention to rapidly changing role of higher education in preparing students for the future. He emphasised on the need to rethink both what was taught and how it was taught, stressing the collective responsibility of institutions to ensure education continues to evolve in alignment with technological progress and societal needs.

Chief patron, Dr Bhola Ram Gurjar, Director, NITTR, Chandigarh, expressed his delight at the presence of thought leaders from diverse geographies, noting the critical importance of cooperation and synergy in shaping a long-term vision for higher education. The conference also featured keynote sessions by speakers, including Prof Rajesh Kumar Dixit (NITTTR, Bhopal), Prof Nir Ohad (Tel Aviv University, Israel), Prof Hans van Ees (University of Groningen, Netherlands), and Prof Navneet Chopra (University of Delhi), whose insights enriched the subsequent paper presentation sessions. The day witnessed varied, interesting, and enriching panel discussions, including “An Ideal Assistant Professor”, “The role of AI in out-of-the-classroom summative assessment”, and others, with insights from Professors from IIM Jodhpur, IIM Indore, IIT Guwahati, IIM Mumbai, IIT (BHU), Varanasi, IIT Roorkee, IIM Jammu, IIT Madras, IIT Indore, IIT Kanpur, and many institutions.