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 The three-day World Universities Summit on "Universities of the Future: A Global Partnership for Social Justice and Sustainable Development" organised by the International Institute for Higher Education Research & Capacity Building (IIHEd) of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), Sonipat, will commence on February 19.

The World Universities Summit 2024 (WUS 2024) will be a hybrid event, commencing with two days of 25 virtual thematic sessions and concluding with a Higher Education Leaders Conclave at JGU university campus on February 21.

The WUS 2024 will be inaugurated in the august presence of the Minister of State for Education, Subhas Sarkar. The guests of honour at the inaugural session are Ashwin Fernandes, Executive Director (AMESA); QS Quacquarelli Symonds; Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General, Association of Indian Universities; and Virander S. Chauhan, former Chairman, University Grants Commission.

Across three days, WUS 2024 will convene more than 225 academics and university leaders from more than 100 leading universities in the world with representation from 20 countries and six continents. The summit will host nearly 85 Vice-Chancellors, Provosts, Rectors, Registrars, Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Deputy Presidents, Founding Deans and Executive Deans.

The WUS has been conceptualised by JGU with a vision to create a platform for universities worldwide to help shape the universities of the future. A tradition started during the pandemic in 2020, the summit has been held in the virtual mode for the convenience of the international speakers.

In the past three editions of the summit, about 120 Presidents and Vice-Chancellors of leading universities from the US, the UK, Australia and other parts of the world have been a part of the summit.

The Higher Education Leaders Conclave in partnership with Pritam Singh Foundation will host some of the distinguished scholars in the field of Higher Education -- Philip G. Altbach, Professor Emeritus, Centre for International Higher Education, Boston College, US; Shailendra Raj Mehta, President and Director, MICA; Bhushan Patwardhan, Former Vice Chairman, University Grants Commission.

The conclave will facilitate debates and discussions among 100 vice-chancellors and higher education leaders from the Delhi-NCR region on the evolving role of universities in championing social justice and sustainable development.

C. Raj Kumar, the Founding Vice-Chancellor, JGU and Director, IIHEd, remarked on the summit and said, "The 'World Universities Summit' was conceptualised to envision a collaborative future where universities worldwide forge meaningful partnerships by facilitating dialogues and opportunities to help shape the universities of the future. Our aim is to create truly global perspectives and I am humbled to share with you that the fourth edition of the summit will bring together over 225 thought leaders representing more than 100 universities from 20 countries and six continents. Over 25 thematic sessions have been carefully crafted to ensure that we deliberate and explore the evolving role of universities in championing social justice and sustainable development. To ensure a well-rounded perspective we will also have leaders from global organisations, including the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Association of American Universities and Colleges, Quacquarelli Symonds and World Bank."