Shri. Kapil Sibal to inaugurate the ACU Conference of Executive Heads at HICC on 28 November
 

Hyderabad|India|November'2008: Shri. Kapil Sibal, Honourable Union Minister for Science and Technology and Minister for Earth Sciences will inaugurate the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Conference of Executive Heads at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre on 28 November 2008 at 9 am. The conference will be addressing the theme: "Dazzling technologies: Seismic shifts in higher education in a fast-changing and unequal world". The ACU is being assisted by the University of Hyderabad and Maulana Azad National Urdu University to host the conference in Hyderabad.

Virtually every day the world reads of technological innovations, and nearly every day they also read about how these innovations are being used to promote educational goals. Dazzling examples of how technology is not only being used to improve the way education is delivered but also making the very delivery of education possible in remote communities will be brought to this conference. Presenters from all over the globe will demonstrate what can be done with combinations of imagination and ingenuity. ACU will host speakers from the various companies that have helped to transform our world alongside speakers who are transforming the educational landscape with their vision and expertise, building open educational resources and open participatory learning systems. And the conference shall explore what the Internet has done for the research endeavour.

From visionary speakers, from live demonstrations, from exhibitions and from challenging panel discussions, the conference will be illuminating and inspiring to all who devote their lives to improving the educational endeavour.

The inaugural session scheduled to begin at 9 am will be chaired by Professor Brenda Gourley, Chair of the ACU and Vice-Chancellor of The Open University, UK. The speakers include Professor A. M. Pathan, Vice-Chancellor, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Professor Seyed E. Hasnain, Vice-Chancellor, University of Hyderabad, Professor John Tarrant, Secretary General of the ACU, Filmed Message from Mr Kamalesh Sharma Commonwealth Secretary General, Message from Professor Mool Chand Sharma, Vice-Chair of the University Grants Commission, Address by Special Guest Professor Sukhadeo Thorat, Chair of the University Grants Commission and Professor Dayanand Dongaonkar, Secretary General of the Association of Indian Universities. Lord Puttnam of Queensgate, C.B.E. will be the keynote speaker in the inaugural session. More than 200 Vice Chancellors of Universities from the Commonwealth Countries and Executive Heads are expected to participate in the three days conference. Vice Chancellors from Universities in the United Kingdom, Tanzania, Australia, Canada, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Jamaica, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Spain and India will be taking part in the Plenary and Parallel sessions on all the three days.