Office of International Affairs NEHU

07/11/2022

Expert asks academia to understand India’s stand on geopolitical issues
NEHU holds lecture series on ‘India’s Foreign Policy and its Evolution through Decades

SHILLONG, Sep 23: In the midst of contemporary geopolitical tensions on the global front, veteran foreign policy expert Skand Ranjan Tayal has exhorted the academia to understand the importance of geostrategic position of India for securing her national interests. Tayal was addressing a gathering at...

07/11/2022

The Office of International Affairs (OIA) of NEHU has organised a distinguished lecture series of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on India’s Foreign Policy and its present challenges at the multi-convention hall of NEHU here today.

The lecture was delivered by renowned ambassador and veteran foreign policy expert Skand Ranjan Tayal.

Tayal spoke on “India’s options in the changing dynamic of Act East Policy ” and argued that India is able to expand its cooperative policy framework in the whole of South and South-East Asia.

Explaining India’s cooperative paradigm of policy making that evolved after the Cold War, Tayal cited the potential of India’s participation in ASEAN and BIMSTEC. While India is able to improve the volume of trade and is able to get the ASEAN nations to contribute to Atmanirbhar Bharat, mutual cooperation is still to reach a dynamic stage.

He further spoke of the increasing size of ASEAN’s economy to the world GDP and BIMSTEC’s role in promoting technological and economic cooperation needs to be further augmented.

Tayal surmised that in spite of India’s strong efforts at increasing volume of trade through lowering of tariff for imports, Free Trade Agreements with many countries within the formation, trade cannot achieve complex goals of regional security and stability.

Delivering the distinguished lecture, Ambassador Tayal called upon the academic fraternity to understand the importance of geostrategic positioning of India that enables and secures India’s national interests. This, he contended, is the pivot of decision making keeping in mind India’s security concerns with South Asian neighbours and then promoting mutual economic and technological interests.

India’s overall geopolitical positioning in many conflicts has been based on strategic ways of finding peace and then promoting national interests through cooperation.

He contended that India has to play a cautious mediating and neutralising role in conflicts like Ukraine, or nearer home in not allowing a formation like Asia Pacific Economic Concern (APEC) to align with a China and Pakistan axis. India’s role in Quad and ASEAN allow for not allowing India’s bête noire to occupy a more convenient position. India, therefore, is successful in turning bipolar to multipolar through its role in various formations like ASEAN and BIMSTEC. He cited India’s civilisational, spiritual and philosophical linkages with entire South Asia and South East Asia as the very basis of Act East policy.

The distinguished lecture was chaired by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla, who in his remarks stated that NEHU can play a significant role in Act East Policy by bridging up demands for higher education and foreign policy concerns.

While NEHU can draw a fine balance between local and global in terms of implementation of UGC’s mandate on internationalisation of higher education by seats on a supernumerary basis to foreign students, it can also promote diplomacy through higher education that can have direct bearing in multilateral cooperative frameworks.

Prof. Shukla cited NEHU’s success story of the Government of Thailand asking for cooperation from Thai Universities with NEHU in frontier areas of various science, engineering and social sciences disciplines. That Act East policy can be best implemented by advancing the cause of research, teaching and joint collaborative ventures in solving important international issues and problems is spoken insightfully by Prof. Shukla.

The lecture generated a lot of interesting debates and discussions from the august audience. Leading the discussion, Prof. T T Haokip, who heads NEHU’s Department of Political Science pointed out the China problem and how China attempts to scuttle India’s efforts at promoting Act East Policy.

Reacting to this observation, Ambassador Tayal explained how India is able to get the best of the manufacturing giants in India and also India’s advantage in the software and communications sector.

In his comments, Prof. K Debbarma, the Dean of School of Social Sciences, NEHU advocated measures like students’ exchange, offer of medical and health facility, upholding of human rights and tackling of human trafficking as important steps to be adopted in the actual work of Act East Policy.

The lecture and the discussion evoked a huge interest as the hall was filled with young bright students and researchers. Officer-in-Charge Office of International Affairs, NEHU Prof. Prasenjit Biswas offered the vote of thanks for a very successful event to the entire academic fraternity of Shillong for making it a very successful event.

07/11/2022

OIA-NEHU has organised an Erasmus lecture Series for the students of NEHU where eminent Professors from all over the world comes to NEHU to share their domain knowledge and expertise. The aim of the lecture series is to enlighten our Students with the Academic and Research work going around the world and further encourage them to participate in inter-university research collaboration and coordination. Further the lecture series also aims to connect our students with other universities from around the world through the visiting Speakers for new opportunities through intense interactions, NEHU students and researchers are able to understand how to compete at the cutting edge.

07/11/2022

The North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Breakthrough Technology firm CV Laser Pty Ltd of Australia with the objective of initiating start-ups and innovation industries in the areas of medical laser technology and healthcare.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Dr. Mukesh Jain, CEO of CV Lasers, Australia and Prof. P.S. Shukla, Vice-Chancellor of NEHU.
Exhorting efforts taken by Dr Jain and his CV Laser PTY Private Limited in bringing forth business incubation in NEHU by creating start-ups in medical laser technology, especially in the detection of diabetes and glaucoma, NEHU Vice Chancellor Prof Prabha Shankar Shukla called upon the NEHU fraternity to learn from the hard work and dedication.
Dr Dinesh Bhatia, who initiated the MoU with the Australian firm, has expressed hope that an industrial tie-up between NEHU and international industry is the most apt thing that is needed to open up job and business prospects for students and faculty of NEHU.
The MoU was signed by Prof Saurabh K Dixit, Registrar of NEHU, and Dr. Mukesh Jain on behalf of Australian CV Laser PTY Private Limited.
According to the MoU, technology developed on Laser vision correction (LVC) will be owned by CV Laser, while commercialisation can be facilitated by the agreement signed on Thursday with NEHU.

07/11/2022

Prof. P. S. Shukla, NEHU Vice-Chancellor held a meeting with Her Excellency Santi Bai Hanoomanjee and her secretaries to discuss the possibilities of wide ranging collaborations and Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) between NEHU and Universities in Mauritius.
Her Excellency expressed her full cooperation and support for collaboration with NEHU by bringing into picture relevant universities from the island nation.
Areas like climate change, hydrology, maritime studies, culture and tradition, language and literature, defence and security studies etc are some of the areas in which strong research and teaching collaboration is envisaged.
In course of discussion, Santi Bai expressed her desire to visit Meghalaya and NEHU.
The unique location of Meghalaya and its natural and cultural resources has been presented by Prof. Shukla as the point of mutually beneficial economic, scientific and trade related exchanges.
Both the sides agreed on starting off with academic and research partnership to bring together Meghalaya’s unique pool of indigenous knowledge system and Mauritius’s technological advancements in areas like livelihood, farming, forestry and such other measures for a sustainable future.
It is mooted that Universities of Mauritius shall actively join up with various relevant departments and centres of NEHU to explore the possibilities of dual degrees, twinning degrees and man power preparation and planning.
A comprehensive strategy of mutual development and progress is being worked out which is expected to lead to quicker facilitation and signing of MoUs.

07/11/2022

In a move to strengthen NEHU’s international ties with universities and institutes abroad, NEHU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Prabha Shankar Shukla on Monday convened a meeting with the High Commissioner for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to New Delhi, India, Dr Roger Gopaul, in the premises of High Commission of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, New Delhi.
The VC was welcomed to discuss in detail the future collaborations between NEHU and universities in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago.
The High Commissioner elaborated on how the ties between India and Trinidad & Tobago have been strengthening over the years with different collaborations.
He, in particular, mentioned the cultural similarities between India and Trinidad & Tobago with more than six lakh people being of Indian origin.
He also spoke about the Government of Trinidad and Tobago being keen on signing memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the Indian universities in the field of agriculture, food technology, physical sciences, life sciences, technological sciences, humanities, social sciences and cultural sciences.
He showed interest in the North-East India particularly towards the state of Meghalaya.
The High Commissioner for Trinidad and Tobago mentioned how the recent developments in North-Eastern Hill University which included the visits from different foreign embassies including US, Thailand, Korea, Japan and France had caught his attention.

07/11/2022

Ambassador of Japan to India Kunihiko Kawazo and Political Counselor Kentaro Orita expressed their deep satisfaction and appreciated the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) fraternity for holding an extremely productive bilateral discussion on wide ranging issues like academic and cultural collaboration in near future.
A meeting was held between visiting Japanese delegation and NEHU community of teachers and students under the aegis of the newly established Office of International Affairs (OIA) of NEHU and ICSSR-NERC, said a statement.
The visiting Japanese dignitaries were presented with NEHU’s achievements for last half a decade and the visiting team appreciated NEHU’s strategic location and its contribution to larger field of knowledge.
Ambassador Kawazo in his speech called upon the NEHU fraternity to strengthen the existing Indo-Japan relationship.
He referred to multilateral agreements that have been currently arrived at in the discussion between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Kishida Fumio.
Kawazo referred to India’s close partnership with Japan in areas like Science and Technology, Trade, and also in the area of people to people relations.
The diplomat exhorted NEHU for its enthusiasm to teach Japanese language and culture and exuded a lot of confidence in vibrant, dynamic and impactful members of NEHU fraternity in achieving higher goals of learning and research in the areas Japanese language, literature and culture.

07/11/2022

The Ambassador of Republic of Korea to the Republic of India, Chang Jae-bok, on Wednesday visited the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) and dwelt at length on possible collaborations in wide-ranging fields, especially on academic and economic front.
The Republic of Korea, represented by the Ambassador and other officials, was part of a programme which was attended by the faculty members, students and scholars of NEHU.
Addressing the gathering, Chang Jae-bok touched upon the history of Indo-Korea relationship and exhorted the students of NEHU to take the same forward.
He also informed that around 700 Korean companies are working in India and these companies have established deeper economic tie-ups with India in every way.
He also spoke of the spread of K-pop culture and Kimchi in North-East India.
The Ambassador also said that he is touched by the warm reception during his maiden visit to Meghalaya as well as NEHU.
NEHU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla, in his address, stressed on the need to initiate collaborations between Korean universities and NEHU.
He also touched upon NEHU’s contributions in areas of Bio-Sciences, Bio-Informatics, Physical Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Calling for the need to build up strong university-to-university connections, the VC informed that NEHU, in its present attempt to internationalise higher education, is looking for the support from Republic of Korean, through its Embassy in New Delhi, to strike up MoUs in various areas.

07/11/2022

Making her maiden visit to the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), the US Consul General in Kolkata, Melinda Pavek, expressed satisfaction over the wide-ranging discussions on mutually beneficial cooperation and collaboration in some of the most cutting-edge areas of science and technology, American studies, indigenous culture and literature, all of which can go into a prospective people to people collaboration, according to the Consul General.

Pavek gave ample consideration to NEHU academia, a large number of students, research scholars, scientists and professors, who elaborated upon possible areas of long-term collaboration within the integrated country strategy currently drawn up between India and the United States.
As part of the ongoing India-US exchanges at various levels, Pavek announced QUAD fellowship for four countries — India, Japan, Australia and the US — in areas that enhances existing University-to-University interaction, think-tanks, NGOs and all other such partners.
She particularly emphasised on the role of block chain technology in resource sharing and managing Human Resource, healthcare and wide-ranging genomic research.

07/11/2022

Thailand has expressed its willingness to collaborate with the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) on different areas.
As part of an ongoing understanding with Thailand and University of Chulalongkorn, Thailand, a Thai delegation led by Ambassador of Thailand to India, Pattarat Hongtong, visited the NEHU on Thursday.
The delegation held wide-ranging discussions with academicians of NEHU on various subjects, including Indo-Thai relations.
Hongtong, in her address, informed that the Government of Thailand has a department of traditional medicine and aromatic plants, and many universities work in these areas.
“We can explore at the possibility of fresh collaborations in these areas,” she said.
Pointing to the active role of her office in bridging the gap between Thailand and Northeast India, Hongtong said as she not only recognises Tai-Ahom but other such communities that share cultural roots in Thailand.
Hongtong also exhorted NEHU to facilitate larger participation of Thai students in various academic programmes and promised to reciprocate by allowing larger participation of students from NEHU in various exchanges, fellowships, et al, in Thailand.
She also expressed her willingness to facilitate collaborations between universities of Northern Thailand and NEHU.

07/11/2022

Consul General of France, Didier Talpain along with his team comprising of Dr Fabien Chareix, Attaché for Scientific and Academic Cooperation, French Institute in India, Embassy of France in India and Noémie Gicquelet, Attaché for cooperation in French language, visited NEHU on Thursday to discuss the groundwork for collaborations between the state’s premier central university and universities and institutes of higher learning in France.
NEHU Registrar, Dr JN Nayak made a presentation on the background leading to the establishment of the University which present works in different fields of study and is a multidisciplinary institute. He mentioned that NEHU is interested to have a memorandum of understandings with the educational institutes in France, through the Consulate General, for the benefit of students and researchers.
NEHU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Prabha Shankar Shukla said the University is bestowed with a vibrant faculty under eight Schools – School of Technology, School of Humanities, School of Education, School of Human & Environmental Sciences, School of Social Sciences, School of Economics, Management & Information Sciences, School of Physical Sciences and School of Life Sciences. He specifically mentioned about Prof Badaplin War from the Department of Khasi, who was recently honoured with the Padma Shri for her contribution in the field of literature and education.
He added that with the Indo-French academic collaboration, students of both NEHU and the French institutes will be benefitted.
The Consul General of France and Dr Charix expressed their interest in collaboration with the University for academic and research activities including the opportunities of scholarships to the deserving students of NEHU.