OneSouthAsia, Higher Education, Regional Cooperation

16^th #OneSouthAsia Conversation: Our 16^th #OneSouthAsia Conversation will focus on exploring opportunities for collaboration in the higher education sector in South Asia. The event will bring together policymakers and practitioners from the region to discuss the challenges and benefits of working together in areas including research, innovation, knowledge exchange, peer review and quality assurance. The Conversation will build on our latest report Regional Integration for Higher Education Development: Options for the South Asia Region. The report was recently released at a pan-South Asia conference of higher education professionals held in Colombo in June 2023.

Background: Higher education systems in South Asia have undergone significant changes in the past two decades. Each country in the region has experienced a rapid rise in university enrollment, fueled by demographic growth and the resulting expansion of secondary education. However, in the absence of sufficient financial resources to accommodate the ever-increasing student numbers, most higher education institutions are facing daunting challenges. Unlike the recent evolution in Europe and East Asia, South Asian higher education systems and institutions have made less progress in working together. There have been, however, a few noteworthy partnerships, for example the Asian University of Women established in 2006 and South Asian University in 2010.The ability of South Asian nations to work together in the higher education sphere will, to a significant extent, determine their capacity to support the development efforts of their respective countries in an effective and dynamic manner.

PANELISTS

Archana Thakur
Joint Secretary, University Grants Commission, India
Dr Archana Thakur is the Joint Secretary at University Grants Commission (UGC) in India. The UGC works under the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and is responsible for determination and maintenance of standards of higher education. Dr Thakur specializes in policies and programs in higher education and is also a professor of Food Processing and Preservation Technology at the Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women in Tamil Nadu.
Jamil Salmi
Global Tertiary Education Expert
Dr Jamil Salmi is a global tertiary education expert providing policy advice to governments, universities, and development agencies, with experience of working in more than 105 countries globally. Earlier, he worked as the World Bank’s tertiary education coordinator till 2012. Dr. Salmi is emeritus professor of higher education policy at Diego Portales University in Chile and Research Fellow at Boston College’s Center for Higher Education. His latest book on Tertiary Education and the Sustainable Development Goals was published in August 2017. In 2020, he wrote a report on the impact of Covid on higher education through the equity lens for the Lumina Foundation.
Mahmood Ul Hassan Butt
Member, Higher Education Commission, Pakistan
Dr Mahmood-ul-Hassan Butt is the member of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in Pakistan and led the the task force that prepared the Strategic Plan, “HEC Vision 2025” in 2016. He was also the Vice Chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad (2005-2010) and was the Dean of Graduate Studies and Accreditation Dean for Teacher Education Programs. Previously, he has served in different administrative and academic positions at home and abroad, including Eastern Illinois University, Indiana University and Rockford College, USA.
Seeram Ramakrishna
Director, Center for Nanotechnology & Sustainability, National University of Singapore
Professor Seeram Ramakrishna is the Director, Center for Nanotechnology & Sustainability, National University of Singapore. He is also on the advisory board of several universities including Institut Polytechnique de Paris, University of Technology, Poland, University of Science and Technology, Nepal and Botswana International University of Science and Technology. He also served as the NUS’s Vice-President for Research and the Dean of Engineering and Director of the NUS International Relations Office. Professor Seeram is the founder of Global Engineering Deans Council and a member of IIT Madras Alumni Association Thought Leaders Council. He has co-authored the UNESCO report entitled ‘Knowledge-driven Actions: Transforming Higher Education for Global Sustainability’.
MODERATOR
Cecile Fruman
Director, Regional Integration, South Asia, World Bank
Cecile Fruman is the Director, Regional Integration and Engagement in the South Asia Region (SAR). She is responsible for fostering greater connectivity and collaborative activities amongst SAR countries.

Cecile has dedicated her career to international development across multiple geographies. She has deep experience in trade and competitiveness, strategy development, portfolio management, and partnerships. A French national, she holds an MBA from ESCP Europe, one of France’s top business schools, and furthered her studies at the University of Osaka in Japan. She is also a certified executive coach.

Leveling Up:Advancing Higher Education Cooperation in South Asia

PANELISTS

Advancing Higher Education Cooperation in South Asia

RELATED