SOA hosts one-day Odisha Regional Conclave

Bhubaneswar: Vice-Chancellors, administrators and academics from
37 different universities and institutions in Odisha exchanged ideas about ways to
improve higher education so as to be noticed globally at a day-long conclave
organised by the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) and hosted by the
SOA Deemed to be University here on Friday.
Speakers who addressed the Times Higher Education (THE) Odisha Regional
Conclave stressed on the need for building up a culture to excel in academics and
research so as to shine on the global stage.
Prof. Amiya Kumar Rath, Vice-Chancellor of BPUT, said that the focus
should be on quality and representatives of different universities had been invited
to the event to know what was needed to be counted as a top-notch institution.

Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of SOA and Prof. Bibhuti
Bhushan Biswal, Vice-Chancellor of Odisha University of Technology and Research
(OUTR) also addressed the conclave.

Prof. Nanda said there had been a paradigm shift in university education because of technological advances and the challenges being encountered. Universities are not stand alone entities and should connect with the society, he said.
Prof. Biswal said that rankings like THE and QS were important to focus the
institute outside the country.

Mr. Ritin Malhotra, General Manager and Senior Regional Director (Asia),
THE, spoke on the global perspectives on evaluating excellence in academic and
research parameters.
Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare) proposed the vote of
thanks.
The conclave had two different sessions and a panel discussion on
international collaborations and exploring the potential partnership in the field of
quality education, technology and research exchange with the world’s top
universities and fraternity.

Prof. Satya Narayan Acharya, Vice-Chancellor of Odia University, Prof.
Kumarbar Das, former Vice-Chancellor, Central University, Jharkhand and Prof.
Bibhu Prasad Panigrahi, Director, Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology, Sarang,
also attended the event.