The 18th version of the distinguished APAIE convention and exhibition introduced collectively representatives from over 1,100 universities throughout greater than 70 international locations with delegates from Nepal, Bhutan, Laos, and Cambodia additionally being in attendance as a part of APAIE’s ‘Entry Program’.
“This 12 months we launched the Entry Program, by which APAIE funded delegates from underrepresented international locations comparable to Nepal, Bhutan, Laos, and Cambodia. That’s a really distinctive factor concerning the convention this 12 months,” Venky Shankararaman, APAIE president and vice provost (schooling), Singapore Administration College, instructed The PIE Information.
The emphasis on smaller, underrepresented international locations holds specific significance because the convention continues to increase.
What started in 2006 with simply 400 delegates has grown considerably, attracting over 2,500 contributors in its 18th version this 12 months.
Held for the primary time in India, the convention happened at Delhi’s Yashobhoomi Conference Centre.
Discussing the importance of this 12 months’s theme, Shankararaman commented: “World citizenship in schooling means stakeholders must worth range, foster cultural understanding, and take duty for world challenges.
“The query we tried to deal with (on the convention) is how can universities transfer from empathy to be extra motion oriented by compassion, and I’m glad to know many universities are emphasising neighborhood service as part of their curriculum.”
With a give attention to representing marginalised areas within the Asia-Pacific, selling range and inclusion in larger schooling, facilitating the change of concepts, and emphasising sustainability at APAIE 2025, C. Raj Kumar, founding vice-chancellor of O.P. Jindal World College, the host establishment for this 12 months’s convention, addressed the significance of increasing alternatives on a worldwide scale.
“To be a real world citizen, we should perceive and admire others – their lives, their struggles, and their experiences. Everybody issues,” mentioned Kumar, addressing the viewers on the opening ceremony.
“A vital facet of worldwide citizenship is the braveness to talk fact to energy, each inside universities and to governments.”
Kailash Satyarthi, co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, additionally talked concerning the want for universities internationally to make use of “compassion as a strong power for social transformation”.
“Universities, because the nurturers of future generations, maintain an ethical duty to domesticate a Compassion Quotient,” acknowledged Satyarthi, a famend youngster rights activist in India.
The theme of ‘World Citizen’ is especially related for India, which is now thought of “the belle of the ball” for worldwide universities trying to increase with TNE alternatives, as reported by The PIE Information.
Not simply worldwide establishments, private and non-private Indian establishments are additionally seeing alternatives in twin diploma packages, school and pupil exchanges, analysis collaborations, and extra, with their worldwide counterparts, as evidenced by their participation at APAIE 2025.
In keeping with Shankararaman, with 54 universities taking part at APAIE 2025, India had the very best illustration from a single nation at an APAIE convention.
“We noticed on the convention that there was an elevated curiosity in collaborating with Indian universities,” mentioned Shankararaman.
“In a session with worldwide college students who studied in India, we mentioned their experiences and challenges. The conclusion was that receiving universities in India should present adequate assist to incoming college students, whereas sending universities ought to spotlight the benefits of learning in a rustic like India.”
At a session titled ‘Leveraging India’s Ecosystem In Fostering World Residents’ at APAIE 2025, panellists emphasised how India’s worth programs, philosophies, and improvements current distinctive alternatives for collaboration with world establishments.
“Our panel targeted on how partnerships between Indian and overseas establishments can create the subsequent batch of worldwide residents, who’re going to exit and influence the world,” acknowledged Ashwin Fernandes, government director, AMESA, QS, who moderated the panel.
“The panelists talked about how India can leverage its worth programs, have a look at portraying Indian philosophy out to the world, and the way frugal improvements might be an space the place Indian and worldwide universities can collaborate on.”
Furthermore, outstanding Indian establishments like IIT Madras are additionally partnering with German establishments, comparable to RWTH Aachen College, TU Dresden, and extra to deal with among the challenges round sustainability.
Although India has emerged as one of many quickest rising economies on the planet, it’s seen as an at-risk nation for future environmental challenges and local weather dangers, which is why it’s crucial for instructional establishments to search out options for a similar.
“Since 1959, IIT Madras has constructed robust Indo-German ties, collaborating on sustainability, water safety, local weather change, transportation, information science, and AI. Now, the main target is on securing extra funding to advance sustainability initiatives,” mentioned Rupa Pandit, worldwide school coordinator, world engagement group, IIT Madras at a session targeted on ‘Indo-German initiatives for cultivating world residents’.
In a session titled “Leveraging the Asian Decade in Worldwide Schooling”, panellists talked about how Asian international locations are witnessing an exponential progress within the internationalisation of upper schooling, highlighting how international locations like Malaysia are anticipated to surpass European international locations within the variety of English-taught packages by the top of the 2020s.
Lately, Malaysia has change into a key research vacation spot for worldwide college students and in response to Novie Tajuddin, CEO, Schooling Malaysia World Providers, Malaysia’s expertise within the worldwide schooling area might be helpful for India.
“For India, this is a chance for Asian stakeholders to raise the requirements of schooling, facilitate change, and strengthen tutorial collaborations,” acknowledged Tajuddin.
This is a chance for Asian stakeholders to raise the requirements of schooling, facilitate change, and strengthen tutorial collaboration
Novie Tajuddin, Schooling Malaysia World Providers
APAIE 2025 was additionally a possibility for international locations comparable to Spain, Romania, Brazil, Slovakia, Georgia, Hungary, and lots of different international locations to showcase their instructional credentials and appeal to worldwide partnerships.
“At APAIE 2025, we have now illustration from 9 private and non-private universities from Spain. We’re excited concerning the alternatives this convention presents and are already seeing vital progress in fostering collaborations with universities from India and different taking part international locations,” mentioned Alberto Salcines, head of internationalisation on the Spanish larger schooling unit, SEPIE.
Equally, Romania noticed illustration from organisations comparable to Research in Romania and the Nationwide Council of Rectors of Romania for the primary time at an APAIE convention.
“We’re right here with 18 universities from Romania, representing various fields of research, together with engineering, medication, enterprise, agronomic sciences, and extra. Our aim is to increase worldwide partnerships, strengthen present collaborations, and improve pupil recruitment from Asia,” acknowledged Cristina Stoenescu, worldwide workplace coordinator, Romanian-American College.
Individuals eagerly welcomed the announcement of Hong Kong because the host metropolis for APAIE 2026.
Talking on the APAIE 2025 closing ceremony, Christine Choi Yuk-lin, Secretary for Schooling, Hong Kong SAR, emphasised Hong Kong’s world connectivity, world-class tradition, and its function in shaping future generations as she accepted the official handover.
