WEBCon 2024: Redefining education and business through global collaboration

B2B Market Media | The Founder Media, along with IAMA International, organised the third edition of World Education & Business Conclave & Awards 2024 (WEBCon 2024) on 11th December in New Delhi. Under the theme “The Convergence of Technology, Innovation and Business across the Globe,” WEBCon 2024 gathered leaders from the education industry comprising Chancellors, Vice-Chancellors, Directors, Principals, Founders of universities, schools and EdTech companies to discuss the future of education, and to cope with the dynamic challenges in the system. Comprising more than 200 participants, the conclave saw engaging discussions and a collective vision for improved and more tech-focussed student-centric education. 

The inaugural session titled “Shaping the Future: The Role of Innovation and Global Collaboration in Education and Business,” was graced by the Chief Guest Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. Addressing the audience, he said, “India’s rapid growth is paving the way for us to become the third-largest economy, a remarkable achievement, as we have already risen from 11th to fifth position. To sustain this momentum, we must focus on innovations that foster collective growth. Leveraging technology to provide better educational access to students in remote areas is one such transformative step. Platforms like WEBCon serve as a source of inspiration, motivating us to continue growing and improving ourselves for a better future.”

Following his address, Guest of Honour Wennyie Konyak, Resident Commissioner, New Delhi, Government of Nagaland, also addressed the attendees. 

In his address, he said, “Today, at the conclave, I am here to learn from all of you. For a small state like ours, WEBCon provides a remarkable opportunity to gain knowledge and insights while identifying innovative solutions that have the potential to inspire future generations.”

Besides, key dignitaries Dr Chandrasekhar Buddha, Chief Coordinating Officer (COO), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Ministry of Education, Government of India; Dr Ved Prakash Yadav, Former Chairman, Board of School Education Haryana (BSEH); Dr Shankar Goenka, Author, Coach and TEDx speaker and Kashish Jhamb, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Association of Indian Principals, also graced the inaugural session. 

The day began with the lighting of lamp by the key dignitaries, along with Anupam Gupta and Ashish Srivastava, Co-Founders and Directors, B2B Market Media | The Founder Media and Dr Bikash Sharma, President, IAMA International Open University, Florida. 

Following the lamplighting, Isha Srivastava, DGM-Conference Strategy and Planning, B2B Market Media | The Founder Media, welcomed the attendees to WEBCon 2024. 

“Today, we celebrate the synergy between education and business—a partnership that is essential for building an innovative and inclusive future. This year’s theme sets the stage for dynamic discussions and valuable collaborations that will redefine global standards of excellence,” she said.

Thereafter, Dr Buddha addressed the audience mentioning that the business landscape is evolving every day, driven by changing customer preferences. Similarly, in his view, the education system is undergoing transformation, with one half still rooted in rote learning, while the other empowers students through internship programmes, reflecting a shift towards practical, hands-on learning. The National Education Policy (NEP) aims to enhance this transition by focussing on upscaling education and opening diverse opportunities for students.

“Today, most industry needs are seamlessly integrated into the curriculum, marking a pivotal shift as we transition from a developing nation to a developed India,” he said.

Expressing his opinion, Dr Yadav mentioned that students can broadly be categorised into four types: those who learn by reading, listening, observing and through their surroundings. This highlights the need for personalised learning tailored to each child’s unique style.

Regarding addressing the issue of cheating in the education system, he notified, “An innovative code has been developed by the Board of School Education Haryana (BSEH) that can instantly trace the source of paper leaks when shared on social media platforms like WhatsApp.” He also expressed that gamification and simulation are emerging as effective learning methods, though these are currently limited to a few schools.

Dr Shankar Goenka, Author, Coach and TEDx Speaker also stated that the method of teaching plays a crucial role in facilitating effective learning. Any changes in the education system should prioritise a child’s overall conditioning to ensure holistic development.

The inaugural session concluded with Kashish Jhamb, CEO, Association of Indian Principals, sharing his views with the august gathering. In his opinion, global learning and travel have gained increased importance in the post-Covid era, highlighting the need for collaboration among advisory bodies, educators, policymakers and the private sector to address gaps and develop innovative solutions.

Following the inaugural session, Gupta and Srivastava unveiled The Educator magazine, along with the key dignitaries and Akanki Sharma, Founding Editor, The Educator magazine. The magazine showcases the stories of changemakers from the education sector who lead with passion, perseverance and purpose, while also exploring how creativity, technology and partnerships can reshape boundaries, build opportunities and inspire progress.

Speaking about WEBCon 2024, Dr Sharma said, “The third edition of the World Education and Business Conclave 2024 was well managed and coordinated by Anupam and his team at B2B Events. Right from the event promotion to the execution, the B2B team left no stone unturned. The conclave itself saw a seamless flow of knowledge sharing across the spectrum with zero hiccups. We, at the IAMA International Group, are proud to have been associated with this conclave as a co-organiser and host. This was our first collaboration, but for sure, not the last. Looking forward to our next in 2025.”

Following the magazine launch, the conclave ran parallell in two parts. While one catered to higher education, the other focussed on school education. The higher education track comprised five panel discussions on various topics. 

The first panel discussion was on “The Future of Hybrid Learning: Balancing Online and  In-Person Education.” The panel was moderated by Binu Pillai, Director, SGJ Group, along with panellists Prof Manas Kumar Mishra, Director, GL Bajaj Institute of Technology and Management; Prof (Dr) Ripudaman Gaur, Dean, Lloyd Business School; Prof (Dr) Amit Jain, Director Corporate Affairs Chanderprabhu Jain College of Higher Studies and School of Law and Dr Ruth Tembe, Founder and CEO, The African Development Agency.

The topic for the next panel discussion was “Developing Future Leaders: Skills beyond Technology.” The moderator of this panel was Prof (Dr) Pankaj Kumar Mishra, Pro Vice Chancellor, Future University. The panellists included Dr Sujata Shahi, Group Vice Chancellor, IILM; Prof (Dr) Daviender Narang, Director, Jaipuria Institute of Management; Prof (Dr) Raghuvir Singh, Vice Chancellor, KR Mangalam University; Prof (Dr) Jayanti Ranjan, Vice-Chancellor, Sharda University, Agra; Prof Nupur Prakash, Vice-Chancellor, NorthCap University and Gursimran Singh, Founder and Managing Director (MD), Institute of Professional Banking (IPB). 

The third panel “Smart Campuses: Integrating IoT and Big Data for Enhanced Student Experiences” was moderated by Prof (Dr) Pankaj Kumar Mishra, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Future University. The panellists included Dr Vijayalaxmi Biradar, Director- IQAC, Kalinga University; Dr Pooja Rastogi, Head- Department of Management, IMS Ghaziabad; Prof (Dr) Rudresh M Shastri, Director–R&D, Vedic Studies and Shakeel Hasan, Senior Manager–Industry Outreach and Placement, Thapar University. 

The fourth panel saw the panellists deliberating on “International MOOCs: Expanding Access to Quality Education Worldwide,” including Dr Taruna Gautam, Vice-Chancellor, IILM, Greater Noida; Sandeep Gandhi, Registrar, Kalinga University; Dr Anshul Sharma, Director, GNIOT MBA Institute and Varun Malik, Director, MVN University. The panel was moderated by Dr Milan Krajnc, Director of Academic Affairs, London Health School (England).

The last panel titled “Digital Transformation: Navigating the New Frontier” was moderated by Dr Arvind Kumar, Former Dean, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The panellists for this session included Prof (Dr) Bhanu Pratap Singh, Vice Chancellor, Maharishi University of Information Technology (Lucknow); Dr Geeti Sharma, Group Director, IPEM Group of Institutions; Ankur Gill, Director Operations, Swami Vivekananda Institute of Engineering and Technology and Dr Narender Mohan Mishra, Dean and Professor, SRMIST University. 

The school track consisted of four panel discussions with the first being held on “National Education Policy (NEP 2020): Universal Quality School Education. Moderated by Dr Nancy Juneja, Mentor of Change, Niti Aayog, this panel included Priya Gambhir, Principal, St Andrews World School; Dr Ved Prakash Yadav, Former Chairman, BSEH; Gaurav Singh, Secretary, Delhi Public International School; Dr Shankar Goenka, Author, Coach and TEDx Speaker and Kanika Chawla, Founder and Director, The Popsicles Early Learning. 

The second panel was moderated by Shivani Mishra, Principal, SCR Global School, on the topic “Educating the Educators: The Trailblazers of Changes in School Education.” Panellists for this session included Archana Shrivastava, Principal, East Point School; Vikrant Sharma, Director Principal, Littlewood Public School; Vikas Madnani, Founder Director, Creative Minds Global School and Isha Verma Behl, Senior School Head, Scottish High International School.  

The third panel included Vikrant Sharma, Director Principal, Littlewood Public School as the moderator and panellists Ritu Srivastava, Principal, Sri Chaitanya Techno School; Dr Chandrakant Singh, Chairman, Ideal Radiant Public School; Monieka Khanna, CEO, Mount Olympus Group of Schools; Dr Asif Shaikh, Principal-Edu Director, SNJB’s Late Shri D M Bhansali School, Maharashtra and Madhavi Goswami, Principal, Cambridge School Srinivaspuri, Delhi. The topic of discussion was “EdTech Ecosystem: Building Collaborative Networks for Schools.” 

The panel discussions for the school track concluded with the topic “The future of Assessments in the Tech-driven Classroom,” moderated by Sunita Madaan, Principal, Salwan Public School. Panellists for this final session included Mohammed Azhar, Founder Principal, Knowledge Academy School and Dr Prem Chand Deswal, Manager, Rose Valley Senior Secondary Public School.

WEBCon 2024 also saw a convocation ceremony by IAMA International Open University, Florida, wherein five people were felicitated. While Srivastava was conferred with a Doctorate Degree in Research and Media, Gupta was conferred with a Doctorate Degree in Research and Policy relating to digital media. 

Besides, Mughavi A Tuccu was recognised for his contributions to promote social justice, advocating for the rights of marginalised communities and advancing education in India, particularly in the north-eastern region of India and Prakash Nanjappa was honoured for his contributions to sports in India. As an Arjuna Awardee, his dedication, achievements and leadership have advanced the sporting landscape, inspiring generations of athletes across the nation. Laldinliana was also conferred an Honorary Doctorate for his contributions to the promotion of entrepreneurship in Mizoram. 

The day ended with the World Education and Business (WEB) Awards 2024 to celebrate excellence in the education sector. The awards were conferred by Nanjappa and Dr Sharma. The winners are as follows:

dorina@thefoundermedia.in