Chandigarh
25 November 2021
DIVYA AZAD
Over 150 Vice Chancellors of universities from the North Zone will be attending a two-day conference from tomorrow to deliberate on sustainable development goals through higher education institutions for ensuring equality and sustainable society.
The meeting is being organised by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) in collaboration with the United Nations, which has set the agenda, and is being hosted by Himachal Pradesh based Shoolini University. While about 50 VCs have confirmed physical participation, others would be joining the conference online.
Addressing media persons at the Chandigarh Press Club today, Col. (Dr.) G Thiruvasagam, President AIU and Vice Chancellor, AMET University, Chennai and Dr. (Mrs.) Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General, AIU, said that the meeting would be held both in the offline and online mode. This would enable those vice chancellors, who could not attend the conference physically, to do so through the online mode.
They said the agenda of the meeting was part of the United Nations charter for implementation of four Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These aim to achieve gender equality, reducing inequality within and among countries, building sustainable cities and communities and ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns in Higher Education Institutions. These will be the main focus of the conference.
Shoolini University Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla, who would be hosting the conference, said the agenda of the conference was in line with Shoolini University’s focus on Sustainable Development Goals and in particular Himalayan ecology and environment. He said several University researchers were engaged in scientifically tapping resources and preserve environment.
The Conference will be inaugurated by Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary, Ram Subhag Singh and Prof PK Khosla, Chancellor, Shoolini University will be the Guest of Honour. Welcome Address will be given by Prof Atul Khosla, Vice Chancellor, Shoolini University, Solan.
The University will also be organising an exhibition showcasing the University research, Innovation achievements and Policy Initiatives already taken on the implementation on Sustaining Development Goals.
According to Professor S.S. Chandel, Programme Coordinator of the Conference and Director Centre of Excellence in Energy Science and Technology, Shoolini University, there will be four technical sessions on different themes in which eminent experts will be deliberating on specific themes.
The concept of the Sustainable Development Goals was developed during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in 2012 to produce a set of universal goals that meet the urgent environmental, political and economic challenges facing the world. The United Nations SDGs are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed as a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”. The SDGs were identified in the year of 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and are intended to be achieved by the year 2030.
These goals are included in a UN Resolution called the 2030 Agenda. There are a total of 17 broad and interdependent goals having specific targets for each goal, along with indicators that are being used to measure progress toward each target.
Shoolini University has already taken Policy initiatives to implement the SDGs as Policy initiatives and research is being carried out by the University. It has established a Centre of Excellence in Energy Science and Technology in the University to carry out research and work towards these goals.
Among those Vice Chancellors from the region who will be attending the conference include Prof R.C. Sobti, Former VC Panjab University; Dr Parvinder Singh, VC, Rayat Bahra University, Mohali; Dr Lovi Raj Gupta, Pro Vice Chancellor, Lovely Professional University; Prof. B.R. Kamboj, VC Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar; Prof G.S.Bajpai, VC Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala; Prof Karamjeet Singh, VC Jagat Guru Nanak Dev Punjab State Open University Patiala; Dr (Er) Birinder Jit Singh, Director Engineering and IEDC, Desh Bhagat University, Mandi Gobindgarh; Dr Yadwinder Singh Brar, Dean Planning and External Programmes, IKG Punjab Tech University, Kapurthala, among several others.
