THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Dhanbad, March 2: The Heritage Network Annual General Assembly 2026 commenced at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad on Sunday, bringing together leading academicians, institutional heads and policymakers from India and Europe to deepen research collaboration and academic partnerships.
The four-day Indo-European gathering, being held from March 1 to 4 at the TEXMiN Hall of the i2H Building, is being organised by the Office of the Dean (International Relations & Alumni Affairs) in association with the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Push for Stronger Academic Collaboration
Delivering the welcome address, Prof. Rajeev Upadhyay, Dean (IRAA), reiterated IIT (ISM)’s commitment to expanding meaningful global partnerships. Prof. Tanmoy Maity, Associate Dean (IRAA) and Convenor of the Assembly, outlined the objectives of the 2026 meet and noted the growing momentum in Indo-European academic cooperation.
Prof. Rajni Singh, Dean of Corporate Communications, who conducted the inaugural session, underlined the long-term significance of the platform.
“The Heritage Network has emerged as a strong bridge between Indian and European institutions. Such engagements help transform academic dialogue into sustainable research partnerships and student mobility opportunities,” she said.
Milestone Year for the Network
Prof. Teresa Zielińska, President of the Heritage Network, termed the 2026 Assembly a milestone as the Network approaches a decade of collaboration. Thanking IIT (ISM) Dhanbad for hosting the event, she stressed the importance of in-person engagement in strengthening ties.
Highlighting shared global challenges such as sustainability, digital transformation and inclusive education, she called for collective action to translate ideas into durable academic frameworks.
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Prof. Vimal Chandra Srivastava, Vice-President of the Network, emphasised moving beyond bilateral partnerships towards multi-institutional cooperation benefiting students and faculty. He pointed to emerging joint funding calls and India–European Union cooperation in manufacturing, climate action and advanced education.
Prof. Dheeraj Kumar, Deputy Director of IIT (ISM), described the Assembly as historic in the institute’s centenary year. He stressed the need to move from knowledge transfer to technology transfer through joint master’s programmes and global collaborations.
Keynote Highlights Global Mobility
In the keynote address, Gwenaelle Guillerme spoke on the T.I.M.E. Association and double degree opportunities, highlighting global demographic shifts and the rising demand for international academic mobility. She encouraged institutions to expand cross-border engineering education initiatives.
The inaugural session concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Prof. Somnath Chattopadhyay, Head of Mechanical Engineering and Co-Convenor of the event.
Deliberations to Continue
Day 1 featured thematic conferences and workshops on sustainability, inclusive education, social innovation and international collaboration models. The upcoming sessions will include the President’s roadmap for the Network, review of ongoing initiatives, poster presentations, management discussions including selection of future hosts, bilateral meetings, campus visits and cultural engagements.
The Assembly further strengthens IIT (ISM) Dhanbad’s position as an emerging global knowledge partner.