The Bengal Chamber’s 6th Annual Education Conclave Unveils the Future of Learning!

In the vibrant setting of The Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s 6th Annual Education Conclave 2023, luminaries and thought leaders came together on December 23, to deliberate on the future of contemporary education, echoing Nelson Mandela's timeless wisdom, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

The event opened with Satyam Roy Chowdhury, Chancellor, Sister Nivedita University, Founder & Managing Director, Techno India Group, Chairperson, Education Committee, The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, setting the tone in his welcome address, emphasising the conclave's mission to infuse dynamism into Bengal's education sector.

He underscored in his address, "Our aim is to explore education across new spectrums, and lay a solid foundation for creating a future-ready education in Bengal.” He highlighted the rich academic legacy of Bengal and the imperative of collaboration between educational institutions, the government, and centres of excellence.

The Chief Guest, Bratya Basu, Honourable Minister, Department of Education, Govt of West Bengal, expressed his delight in attending the Education Milieu, affirming the state's commitment to human resource development. Additionally, on the sidelines of the event, he informed The Telegraph Online Edugraph, “Both the higher education and the school education sectors are adapting to the changing scenario through adopting new modes of learning like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Data Technology, etc.”

The Keynote Speaker, Manish Jain, IAS, Principal Secretary, Higher Education, Govt of West Bengal, challenged the status quo, envisioning a future where learning seamlessly integrates with the demands of the age. He urged the various stakeholders, apart from the government, to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of education.

Navigating the Future: Transforming School Education

In the session on 'Navigating the Future: School Education Transformations,' educators like Nandini Dasgupta, Director Academics, Techno India Group Public Schools, highlighted the shift to 'art integrated learning,' emphasising interdisciplinary approaches. Rupa Sanyal Bhattacharjee, Principal, South Point High School, discussed the evolving role of teachers in the age of 'Google mama' and reinforced the need for 'art integrated learning.' Kamalpreet Kaur, Principal, Narula Public School, stressed the importance of bridging the academia-industry gap, incorporating augmented reality and Artificial Intelligence into their curriculum.

Rupkatha Sarkar, Principal, La Martiniere for Girls, advocated for teaching the dignity of labor, breaking down the divide between vocational and mainstream education. The session, moderated by Professor Dr Suman Kumar Mukerjee, Director General, The Bhawanipur Education Society College, highlighted the pivotal role of value education in contemporary times.

AI & Robotics: Transforming Education

The session on 'AI & Robotics: Transforming Education' delved into the impact of Artificial Intelligence on learning. Professor Ujjwal K Chowdhury, Strategic Adviser, Techno India Group, Kolkata, Vice President, Global Media Education Council, Mentor, NextGen Academy & CTPL, stressed the ubiquity of AI in our lives, while Dr Indranil Mitra, MD, Lead, Data Service, AI & Gen AI, PwC, highlighted personalised learning with innovations like humanoid bots and language models like 'Bhashini.'

Prof Dr Anupam Basu, Raja Ramanna Chair Professor, Jadavpur University, Distinguished Hon Professor, Sister Nivedita University, Hon Professor Shiv Nadar University drew our attention to the ethical use of AI in education, citing examples of AI assisting autistic children and slow learners. While, Dr Saptarshi Das, Assistant Professor and Head, Centre for Data Science, JIS Institute of Advanced Studies and Research, JIS University, underscored the importance of adaptive learning and AI assistance for teachers in grading students’ assignments.

Innovations in Academia

In the 'Innovations in Academia’ session moderated by Sumit Das Gupta, Managing Director, Allcap Communications Pvt Ltd, unconventional study subjects took centre stage. Sourav Chakraborty, Founder & CEO, Student Lifestyle, Sconto, argued for a holistic academic curriculum in the fields of Indic studies and research whereby our enormous reserves of knowledge can be adopted in science, technology, arts, literature and history; Yogacharya Mary Cecil, HoD, Department of Yoga, NSHM School of Health Sciences, NSHM Knowledge Campus, advocated for yoga as a professional option, Souvik Basu, Director of Photography, Bengali cinema, explored opportunities in the entertainment industry, and Dr Madhab Milan Ghosh, Associate Professor, Faculty In-charge & Coordinator (Administration), Department of Sports Management, Indian Institute of Social Welfare And Business Management (IISWBM), discussed the rising scope of sports management.

Expert Insights and International Perspectives

Expert speakers, including Dr Biswajit Saha, Director, CBSE, Ramesh Kumar, F.I.E., Chartered Engineer (India), Senior Advisor, World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises, Dr Mohua Banerjee, Director and Professor of Marketing, IMI Kolkata, and Dr Vinay Swarup Mehrotra, Professor and Head of Curriculum Development and Evaluation Centre at PSS Central Institute of Vocational Education, highlighted the changing landscape in school education, entrepreneurship, marketing management, and the significance of vocational education, respectively.

The conclave concluded with a global perspective from Prof Prafulla C Sarker, Vice Chancellor (Designate), Sheikh Hasina University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh, reinforcing the interconnectedness of education on a global scale.

The 6th Annual Education Conclave 2023 illuminated the path forward, as a catalyst for Bengal's educational renaissance, marking a paradigm shift in Bengal's education landscape. As Nelson Mandela's words echoed through the halls, it became evident that education, indeed, is the most powerful catalyst for change.