New Delhi/Sydney, December 6. O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), one of India’s Institutions of Eminence, signed MoUs (memoranda of understanding) with seven highly-ranked universities in Australia, viz, Macquarie University, University of New South Wales, University of New England, University of Newcastle, University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney and Western Sydney University.

“These partnerships will benefit Indian and New South Wales students and faculty members, who will gain opportunities to deepen their educational and cultural connections, while also promoting important links that will foster academic excellence in our two nations,” said Margaret Beazley, governor of New South Wales, speaking on the occasion.

Added JGU’s founding vice chancellor Prof. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar: “These collaborations will create stronger people-to-people linkages and research cooperation between students and faculty in India and Australia. India’s demographic dividend has created new opportunities for higher education to become the strongest pillar of the partnership between both our countries.”

Tekla festival workshop

Mumbai, December 4. On the occasion of the five-day state visit (December 2-7) to India by their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, a two-day STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)-based workshop for 45 girls from Mumbai’s municipal schools was held on December 4-5.

The annual Tekla festival was founded by Swedish pop music recording artist Robyn in 2015, and since then has had 1,200 girl participants in Sweden. In response to the festival’s growing popularity, this year the initiative went transnational with workshops held in Washington, USA and Brazil besides Mumbai. Over the next two years, Tekla will convene workshops in Egypt, Indonesia, South Africa and Nigeria.

“The objective is to inspire a larger number of women to study STEM subjects at university level and work in and rise to high positions in industry. The enthusiasm and interest exhibited by Mumbai’s girl children was very encouraging and we are hoping that by participating in our workshop, we have piqued their interest in STEM,” says Caroline Dahl, a technology innovator at RISE, a Swedish public sector organisation mobilising research and development resources to stimulate inventions and innovations in Sweden.

RPG Blizzard 2019

Mumbai, December 12. RPG Blizzard 2019, one of India’s most popular inter B-school quiz competitions backed by the RPG Group, attracted 2,790 participants from 11 B-schools across India this year. RPG Blizzard 2019 also included a digital contest for the first time, generating unprecedented interest and excitement among premier B-school campuses across India.

To qualify for the final round, all participants had to complete several intellectually stimulating activities on a digital platform. The finalists — 18 individuals in nine teams — were flown to Mumbai to attend a Grand Quiz in early December. All finalists spent a full day at RPG headquarters interacting with the group’s management board members. The three winners of the Grand Quiz were hosted to lunch with RPG Group chairman Harsh Goenka.

Presenting IISM Edge

New Delhi, December 26. To provide working professionals opportunities to improve their life skills, the Mumbai-based International Institute of Sports Management (IISM, estb.2010) has introduced its IISM Edge programme. The programme aims to develop leadership skills and teach business professionals how to manage failure.

Designed by former Indian test cricketer Nilesh Kulkarni and Tarun Chauhan (former managing partner of JWT) and founder of T.C. Consultancy, the IISM Edge programme will provide mid and senior-level business executives leadership and life skills through lectures and seminars by industry leaders and sports stars.

“All of us at some point in life have experienced failure. What matters is bouncing back and making a renewed effort. One must not forget that failure often teaches more than success. This is the backbone of the IISM Edge Programme. This executive management programme addresses failures and aims to teach corporate and life lessons through multiple perspectives,” says founder-director Kulkarni.

Adani Foundation milestone

Ahmedabad, December 17. The Ahmedabad-based Adani Foundation (estb.1988) celebrated a significant milestone achieved by its Adani Skill Development Centre (ASDC). Over the past 42 months, it has trained 50,000 youth for various skills through 45 courses in nine states countrywide.

The top five areas in which ASDC provides training are digital literacy, general duty assistant, self-employed tailor & sewing machine operator, beauty therapist, pedicurist and manicurist, healthcare, apparel, beauty & wellness and construction sectors.

“With support from the district administration of Godda, the foundation has set up three mega garment production hubs where the women are involved in producing school uniforms, bags, etc. These tribal women have won a state government contract for the production of school uniforms of all government children in the district for the next five years. This order is valued at over Rs.50 crore,” said Dr. Priti G. Adani, chairperson of the Adani Foundation, speaking on the occasion.