Education summit at CU maps future of AI-driven, inclusive higher education

Deep Inder Singh Sandhu, senior managing director of Chandigarh University, underlined the university’s global approach.

By: Express News Service

Mohali | Updated: September 30, 2025 10:20 PM IST

2 min read

Juan Antonio March Pujol, Ambassador of Spain to India, addresses students and faculty members during the 5th edition of Global Education Summit – 2025 at Chandigarh University. (Express Photo)

The Chandigarh University hosted the 5th Global Education Summit (GES-2025), drawing 75 academic leaders from 60 universities across 35 countries to discuss how higher education can adapt to a rapidly changing world. The two-day event focused on building AI-empowered, inclusive, sustainable, and technology-driven nations.

Juan Antonio March Pujol, Ambassador of Spain to India, emphasised that AI should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat. “AI opens new fields and careers. The key is knowing your capacities and delivering what others need, fostering innovation and solutions that benefit humanity. But innovation must go hand in hand with peace. The younger generation must be the lobby for peace, not war, while universities nurture talent and innovation,” he said.

Deep Inder Singh Sandhu, senior managing director of Chandigarh University, underlined the university’s global approach. “With over 515 collaborations across more than 100 countries, we are creating opportunities for joint research, academic partnerships, and exchanges. The summit enables universities worldwide to sign MoUs that advance higher education and responsibly integrate emerging technologies,” he noted.

During the summit, the Chandigarh University signed five MoUs with American University (Washington DC), Capilano University (Canada), Middlesex University (Mauritius), Sunway University (Malaysia), and Mariano Marcos State University (Philippines). The agreements cover joint research, faculty development, and student exchange.

Dr Pontus Warnestal, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Halmstad University, Sweden, urged institutions to focus beyond AI skills. “The question is not how we train students to use AI, but how we prepare them for a world where fluent nonsense is everywhere. Higher education must deepen critical thinking and informed citizenship.”

Global leaders from Canada, the UK, Northern Ireland, and South Africa echoed the need for partnerships, innovation, and compassion. The summit concluded with calls to redesign education to face challenges of technology, misinformation, and inequality while ensuring universities remain engines of peace and transformation.

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