The 10th edition of the International Faculty Development Program (IFDP) 2026 commenced at Chandigarh University on June 29, 2026, with the participation of 37 scientists recognized among the world's top 2% researchers and over 130 academicians from more than 100 universities across 40 countries. The program aims to advance the internationalization goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and serves as a global platform for academic engagement, knowledge exchange, and cross-border collaboration.
High-Profile Participation from Global Institutions
This edition brings together experts from 58 QS-ranked universities, including six academicians from institutions ranked among the world's top 20. The global cohort represents diverse academic disciplines such as engineering, artificial intelligence, computer science, management, allied health sciences, architecture, legal studies, liberal arts and humanities, teacher education, biotechnology, pharmacy, data science, sustainability studies, social sciences, and other emerging interdisciplinary domains.
Participating experts hail from leading institutions in Norway, Germany, Australia, Finland, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, France, Israel, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Portugal, Qatar, Taiwan, Oman, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Malaysia, Thailand, Peru, Mexico, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Algeria, Lebanon, South Africa, Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines, Morocco, Bangladesh, Nepal, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and several other countries.
Inaugural Session Highlights
The inaugural session was graced by Prof. Pankaj Arora, Chairperson of the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), as Chief Guest. Guests of Honour included Prof. (Dr.) Jurg Bahler, Director of the Institute of Healthy Ageing and Professor of Systems Biology at University College London; Prof. Dr. Luke Dickens, Founding Member and Co-Lead of the Knowledge Information and Data Science (KIDS) Research Group and Associate Professor of Machine Learning at University College London; and Dr. Ian John Dixon, Associate Professor of Screenwriting at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Prof. Pankaj Arora said, "Our nation has a rich legacy of knowledge creation, with ancient centres of learning such as Takshashila and Nalanda attracting scholars from across the world. Today, we are witnessing a resurgence of that legacy as both the performance and representation of Indian universities have risen sharply over the past few years. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, transformative educational reforms have been introduced under the National Education Policy that accelerated our focus on research, innovation and academic excellence, resulting in India's remarkable rise as global knowledge powerhouse in research and innovation in recent years. Programs such as Chandigarh University's International Faculty Development Program play an important role in strengthening global academic partnerships, elevating the quality of higher education and preparing the academicians to contribute towards India's journey of becoming a developed nation by 2047."
AI and Storytelling in Focus
Prof. Dr. Luke Dickens remarked, "Today, Artificial Intelligence has advanced at an unprecedented pace and we are gradually becoming increasingly dependent on it. However, we must move forward with caution. While AI offers immense opportunities, it also presents significant challenges and potential risks. Addressing these challenges will require a research-driven and evidence-based approach. We must ensure that AI is developed and applied in ways that genuinely enhance our everyday lives and serve the greater good. As members of academia, it is our responsibility to become thought leaders and help shape the world into a place that we aspire make it. Chandigarh University's visionary approach and guiding principles are truly remarkable and represent the key ingredients required for any university to achieve global success. These very principles have enabled Chandigarh University to attain its present standing on the world stage. I am deeply impressed by the University's remarkable rise in global rankings. It is an extraordinary achievement."
Dr. Ian John Dixon emphasized, "At a time when technology is capable of accomplishing almost everything, Artificial Intelligence can never replace human experience, creativity and the power of storytelling. Young people should leverage technology to share the stories, culture, and knowledge of their country with the world. Chandigarh University has truly embraced a student-centric approach to education. Here, Discover, Learn and Empower is not merely a slogan but the guiding philosophy of learning. I firmly believe that Chandigarh University is poised to achieve greater global recognition in the years ahead and has the potential to become the world's leading university."
University Milestones and Program Structure
Prof. (Dr.) Raviraja N Seetharam, Vice-Chancellor of Chandigarh University, stated, "The International Faculty Development Program has evolved into a globally recognised platform for academic exchange and collaborative research. The initiative continues to strengthen international partnerships and create opportunities for meaningful engagement between scholars, researchers and institutional leaders from around the world. Over the years, IFDP has emerged as a vibrant platform for sharing best practices in teaching, learning and research while promoting internationalisation in higher education. By bringing together accomplished academicians and thought leaders from diverse cultural and disciplinary backgrounds, the program contributes to the development of globally relevant and future-ready educational ecosystems."
He added, "Achieving a significant milestone, Chandigarh University has secured the 526th rank in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and earlier, CU became the number one private university consecutively for three years in QS Asia University Rankings 2026. CU now ranks amongst the top 2 percent of universities worldwide and top 1 percent universities in India and has established as many as 530 international collaborations with leading global universities."
The 10-day program will feature expert lectures, panel discussions, thematic sessions, research interactions, and collaborative engagements designed to equip educators with contemporary pedagogical practices, emerging technological insights, and global perspectives on higher education.
Chandigarh University is a NAAC A+ Grade University and QS World Ranked University. It offers more than 109 undergraduate and postgraduate programs across various fields including engineering, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, journalism, animation, hotel management, and commerce.
