Focus is on academic excellence and making Narela City a world-class global education hub - Education Minister emphasized, at ShiftED 2026

At a time when evolving geopolitical realities are reshaping the global study-abroad landscape, the third edition of ShiftED concluded, bringing together over 1500+ students, 30+ global universities, and 8 Financial Institutions under one roof. Inaugurated by Shri Ashish Sood, Hon’ble Minister for Home, Power, and Education, Government of Delhi, the summit underscored his vision of fostering new paradigms of collaboration in global higher education and positioning Delhi as an emerging hub for international academic partnerships.

Curated by GradRight, the platform convened students, global university leaders, financial institutions, and policymakers for a day focused on dialogue, access, and opportunity, reinforcing India’s growing role in the global education ecosystem and providing much-needed clarity and confidence to aspiring students. Amid tightening visa regimes, shifting immigration norms, and currency volatility across the United States, the United Kingdom, and parts of Europe, Indian students and families are seeking clearer, practical guidance before committing to overseas study. Platforms like ShiftED are therefore critical in demystifying admissions, funding, compliance, and post-study pathways and turning uncertainty into actionable choices.

Gracing the event, Shri Ashish Sood, Education Minister, Government of Delhi, said, “As we accelerate work on Narela Education City, we are building a shared, world-class ecosystem where universities collaborate, focusing on outcomes. We are working to align Narela with the Union Government’s university township initiative and invite institutions at ShiftED to join our Global Board of Mentors and partner in this vision. With a target of 50% Gross Enrollment Ratio by 2035, we are expanding opportunity at scale. We believe that higher education must be Indian in character and global in outlook. We are preparing Delhi for Industry 4.0 and giving students the platform to succeed.”

Speaking on concluding ShiftED 2026, Aman Singh, Co-Founder, GradRight, said, “The recent changes in the global education ecosystem should be seen in perspective. Students must know that doors are not closing, but that standards are rising. For them, it is a call to prepare better and choose programs with strong employability and industry alignment. Temporary policy signals may create hesitation, but the fundamentals remain strong. At GradRight, we help students look beyond these uncertainties and make outcome-driven decisions built for long-term global success.”

Since 2023, the forum has convened 9,000+ students, 52 international and 35 domestic institutions and 18 financial partners; this year deans and senior faculty from University of San Diego, Washington University in St. Louis, Rutgers Business School, Lehigh University, Lancaster University, University of Arkansas and BITS Pilani Dubai, along with lending partners including Ponnawala and ICICI Bank, were present to engage directly with students. At the event, students received preference allocation of scholarships worth over ₹80 lakhs.

Commenting on making global education accessible to Indian students, Dr. Robert Chell, Dean of the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering at the University of San Diego, said, "In our engagements across India, we’ve seen exceptional talent and an appetite for collaboration,n and our response is to create multiple, practical ways that make world-class engineering education accessible and relevant. We’re expanding dual-degree and executive options, launching online master’s tailored for Indian tech professionals, and working with partners to increase scholarship and internship opportunities so students can study efficiently without losing local context. We aim to help Indian universities to integrate AI into their curriculum and work on their faculty development programs. At ShiftED, we look at creating opportunities for Indian students who are prepared to solve global challenges while building careers that begin at home.”

Commenting on ShiftED, Dean Michael Mazzeo of WashU, St. Louis, said, “We are truly inspired by the vision of Shri Ashish Sood. India and Delhi definitely hold the promise and hope for a new world of higher-education. We will do our very best to contribute to his mission of developing Narela Education City”.

Over 300+ students immersed themselves in various sessions and gamified workshops.  A defining highlight this year was the launch of the GradRight App, powered by Graddie, an AI copilot for higher education designed to give Indian students real-time, data-driven clarity through tools such as a University Shortlist Builder, Visa Chance Predictor, and Admit Probability Checker. Practical workshops on financing, loan structures, and repayment options led by senior representatives from lending and insurance partners saw strong participation from parents and students. Visa counselling for the US, Germany, and New Zealand also witnessed impressive engagement.

About GradRight

GradRight is an Ed-FinTech SaaS platform that brings together students, universities, and banks to make higher education more accessible and affordable for low and middle-income students. By leveraging AI, Machine Learning, and community, GradRight empowers students to make informed decisions on high-return programs, enables universities to admit the most suitable students, and facilitates banks in financing the dreams of high-potential students. The platform eliminates intermediaries and promotes transparency and accountability in the higher education sector. GradRight has significantly empowered thousands of deserving students from middle and low-income families by providing them access to the right universities and lenders, ensuring that higher education is accessible and affordable. In the last five years, GradRight has enabled 250,000+ students to find and fund their study abroad dreams, disbursed INR 4000+ cr in education loans via our 18 partner lenders across India, the U.K., and the U.S., and partnered with 50+ universities across the world to enable them to find, engage, and enroll Indian students for their online and on-campus programs.

The platform has partnerships with all major education loan providers and over 50 academic institutions in the US, Canada, and Europe. GradRight was founded in 2019 by Aman Singh, an alum of IIT Delhi and ISB Hyderabad, and Sasidhar Sista, a BITS Pilani graduate who was India’s first Fulbright Scholar to pursue a Master’s in Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania.