15^th Global Higher Education Summit

Education 5.0: Shaping the Future of Work in the Age of Disruption

17^th December 2025 New Delhi

Registration

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is hosting the 15th Global Higher Education Summit, bringing together leaders from government, industry, academia, and the global education community to deliberate on the emerging priorities shaping India’s transition into a knowledge-driven, innovation-led economy.

India today stands at a pivotal moment. As enrolment expands and research output grows, supported by reforms inspired by the National Education Policy (NEP), the higher education ecosystem is undertaking a major transformation. Indian institutions are showing steady progress in global rankings and research productivity. Yet, significant challenges remain in enhancing research quality, faculty capacities, industry readiness of graduates, global competitiveness, and adoption of emerging technologies such as AI.

The 15th edition of the Summit aims to engage key stakeholders from India and abroad to discuss these challenges and co-develop actionable strategies that will strengthen India’s position as a global education and innovation hub. The objective is to build a shared roadmap that enhances research excellence, modernises pedagogy, improves employability outcomes, and aligns Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with the requirements of the future workforce.

Key Sessions :

Improving Quality of Research through Faculty Development & Industry Engagement: Creating a Conducive Ecosystem for Future Workforce Development

India ranks third globally in research output, publishing over 1.6 million academic papers (2020–2025). However, the quality and impact of this research remain areas of concern, with India’s H-index at 925, significantly lower than leading research nations. This highlights the need to prioritise high-impact research alongside volume.

This session will examine how faculty development, structured mentorship, industry-led research collaborations, and targeted investments can elevate India’s research landscape. Discussions will focus on strengthening research governance, incentivising interdisciplinary and industry-relevant research, and creating an enabling ecosystem that empowers faculty to drive innovation and contribute more meaningfully to India’s knowledge economy and future workforce needs.
Globally & Industry-Aligned Pedagogy: Critical to Bridging the Industry Readiness Gap

Current estimates suggest that 40–50% of Indian graduates are not industry-ready, reflecting the gaps in curriculum design, experiential-learning exposure, and alignment with emerging sectoral competencies.

This session will deliberate on how institutions can redesign curricula to reflect global standards, embed experiential learning, and ensure teaching methodologies foster adaptability, problem-solving, and digital proficiency. Discussions will explore successful models of international collaboration, industry-supported learning pathways, outcome-driven curriculum design, continuous faculty upskilling, and educator-led mentorship. The goal is to rethink pedagogy in a manner that produces graduates who are globally competitive, industry-ready, and future-oriented.
AI & Technology Integration in Higher Education: Improving Operational Efficiency, Skilling & Industry Readiness

India’s accelerated digital transformation—supported by online degree frameworks, blended learning, and AI-enabled pedagogy—has expanded access but also triggered debates on quality and employability outcomes.

With only 32% of Indian HEIs fully ready for online delivery and 66% of employers still preferring traditional degrees, this session will critically evaluate the real impact of digital adoption on teaching quality, student performance, and workforce preparedness. Discussions will explore whether technology is meeting the expectations of industry and learners, the digital divide, faculty readiness, and what course corrections are needed. The session will also chart pathways for making tech-enabled education more equitable, credible, and aligned with future workforce requirements.
CHRO/CXO Roundtable on Future of Jobs & Talent Needs: The Road Ahead

As global job roles evolve, upskilling and reskilling have become indispensable for India’s workforce. Studies indicate that by 2030, nearly 63% of Indian workers will require reskilling to keep pace with technological shifts. Meanwhile, projections from NCAER suggest that investments in formal skilling could unlock 13% additional job growth.

This exclusive roundtable of leading CHROs and CXOs will discuss talent strategies for the next decade, emerging job roles, and the competencies needed to build an agile, future-ready workforce. The discussion will focus on aligning higher education with industry expectations, fostering deeper academia–industry partnerships, and designing scalable talent development frameworks that prepare India’s youth for a rapidly evolving global job market.

Special Feature

Grand Finale: CII National Case Study Challenge for Higher Education Students

The Summit will also host the grand finale of the CII National Case Study Challenge for Higher Education Students on “Building India’s Higher Education Ecosystem for Global Excellence by 2035”, showcasing innovative ideas from higher education students across India. The competition aims to promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and industry-oriented learning among young minds.