Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham hosted a two-day South Asia UNESCO Chairs Round Table, bringing together UNESCO representatives, Chairholders, and academic leaders from across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka to discuss strategic priorities for 2026–2027.

Addressing the gathering, Tim Curtis, Director of UNESCO’s Regional Office for South Asia, emphasized the importance of UNESCO Chairs in shaping global academic collaboration and policy dialogue. He stated that UNESCO Chairs remain one of the organization’s strongest pillars for advancing research, innovation, and sustainable development initiatives worldwide.

More than 22 delegates participated in the discussions, which focused on aligning academic research and grassroots initiatives with UNESCO’s upcoming regional and global priorities. Major themes included climate change, biodiversity conservation, pollution control, ethical artificial intelligence, digital transformation, gender equality, and youth empowerment.

The event also witnessed participation from senior UNESCO officials, including Susan Vize, UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh, and Jaco du Toit, UNESCO Representative to Nepal. During the hybrid round table, the delegation met with Amrita Chancellor Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi and discussed the role of universities in addressing global challenges through inclusive and sustainable approaches.

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham currently stands as the only university in India hosting three UNESCO Chairs. These include the UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment led by Dr. Bhavani Rao, the UNESCO Chair on Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation and Development headed by Dr. Maneesha V. Ramesh, and the UNESCO Chair on Assistive Technologies in Education led by Dr. Prema Nedungadi.

The round table concluded with a collective commitment to strengthen cross-border academic partnerships and expand collaborative efforts toward sustainable and inclusive development across South Asia.