GD Goenka University, one of the eminent educational institutions in the country, in alliance with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), successfully hosted the International Conference on Transforming Lives Through Adoption of SDGs: Role of Higher Education Institutions (TLASH 2024).
The two-day conference was organised on May 30th and 31st, 2024, in the university’s state-of-the-art campus. It served as a stepping stone towards positioning higher education institutions (HEIs) as crucial drivers of positive change by embracing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in teaching, research, and community engagement.
The remarkable event received a phenomenal response, with 386 full research papers submitted from more than 80 national and international universities. This historic participation underlined the international dedication to addressing sustainability challenges via collaborative endeavours in academia.
The conference commenced with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony, which implies enlightenment and wisdom. It was graced by the presence of esteemed dignitaries, including Dr Kim Menezes, Honourable Vice Chancellor; Dr Anuradha Tiwari, Registrar; Dr Manvi Arora, Chief Compliance Officer; Dr Anjali Midha, Dean of Research; Dr Naresh Sharma, Deputy Director, IQAC; and school deans, guests, and faculty members.
The event progressed with the felicitation of honourable guests and speakers, recognising their key roles in shaping higher education’s contribution to the United Nations’ SDGs.
Some of the distinguished speakers who delivered their insightful experiences and knowledge at the event included Dr Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General of AIU, and Dr Indrajit Ghosh, Global Chairman MSME. The experts delved deeper into critical topics like agricultural products, climate change, global warming, water resources and academic projects to achieve the objectives of SDGs.
In addition, Dr Alok A. Kumar, Group Lead, ESG & Sustainability at Fortis Healthcare, emphasised the influence of environmental changes on healthcare services. At the same time, Dr Nitesh Bansal, Chief Compliance Officer at OP Jindal University, underscored the role of HEIs in accomplishing environmental, social, and economic sustainability for the progress of humanity.
“The unprecedented response to TLASH 2024 is a testament to GD Goenka University’s commitment to innovative measures to align with the UN SDGs. Together, we can nurture a generation of leaders who can bring transformative change and contribute towards a promising and greener tomorrow. I thank all the honourable speakers and participants for making this conference a resounding success,’’ said Dr Kim Menezes, Vice Chancellor, GD Goenka University
The conference also invited unpublished articles on a broad range of subjects such as innovations in medical sciences for sustainable health solutions, engineering for sustainable futures, leadership and legal innovations, interdisciplinary approaches in arts and humanities, innovative agricultural practices, and global trends in sustainable tourism.
The event promoted a seamless exchange of ideas, forged new alliances and fuelled significant change towards a sustainable future in line with the 2030 agenda.
Furthermore, the conference included concurrent technical sessions featuring oral presentations from each track, conducted both online and offline. The comprehensive sessions allowed participants to engage in discussions and collaborations, promoting the integration of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into higher education and reinforcing the commitment of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to act as catalysts for sustainable development.