International Conference on Inclusive Higher Education Hosted by IIT Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar, in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University, UK, successfully organized an international conference and workshop on “Embracing Diversity in ASIA through the Adoption of Inclusive Open Practices (DiversAsia)” from January 3 to 6, 2024, in Bhubaneswar.

The event, funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, was designed to address key challenges and present best practices for inclusive education and enhanced learning, with a major focus on students with physical and learning disabilities. The conference explored solutions at individual, community, institutional, and government levels, highlighting the role of advanced assistive technologies and the development of the DiversAsia Toolkit.

The two-day international conference, which commenced on January 3, brought together experts and stakeholders to deliberate on inclusive higher education, the DiversAsia Toolkit, accessibility checkers, and best practices. Shri Bishnupada Sethi, IAS, Principal Secretary in the Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department, Government of Odisha, inaugurated the conference.

Key figures present at the inaugural session included Prof. David Brown, Coordinator, Nottingham Trent University (NTU), UK; Prof. Dinakar Pasla, Dean-Sponsored Research & Industrial Consultancy (SRIC), IIT Bhubaneswar; Prof. Subhransu Ranjan Samantaray, Head, School of Electrical Sciences, IIT Bhubaneswar, and Dr. M. Sabarimalai Manikandan, Project Investigator of the DiversAsia project.

The conference addressed critical issues surrounding inclusive education, providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and the sharing of best practices. Institutions and organizations from India, the UK, Bangladesh, Turkey, Latvia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Belgium collaborated in this initiative, underscoring the global importance of fostering inclusive education. The event marked a significant step towards creating a more accessible and inclusive educational landscape.