Three-day East Asia Summit concludes at Nalanda University

Patna: The first three-day East Asia Summit (EAS) conclave of heads of higher education institutions and the EAS knowledge exchange workshop on energy efficiency policies and LiFE (lifestyle for environment) concluded at Nalanda University (NU) on Friday with a valedictory address by its vice-chancellor, Sachin Chaturvedi.The inaugural conclave brought together 35 heads of higher education institutions from ASEAN countries and India, including Vietnam National University, the National University of Singapore, Arthashastra Institute (Bali), the Indian Institute of Science (Bengaluru), and IIT Kanpur.A key highlight was the signing of a tripartite MoU by Nalanda University with three premier institutions — the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University), the Indian Maritime University and the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIS).

“The MoU ceremony, held at the International Centre of the university campus, sets a new direction for academic collaboration, research partnerships and knowledge exchange across Asia,” a university official said.In his address, Chaturvedi said, “Our priority is to build institutional ecosystems in times of super-specialisation, enabling convergence to address complex challenges and solve issues of greater significance.”

The conclave featured thematic sessions, deliberations and cultural programmes, underscoring the spirit of collective action and ASEAN–India cooperation in higher education. Delegates also visited the ancient ruins of Nalanda, a UNESCO World Heritage site, sampled Indian cuisine, witnessed a live demonstration of Kalaripayattu, the martial art from Kerala, and attended a special session on the university’s research collaborations.