Bengaluru | May 15, 2026
The two day Campus to Career (C2C) Summit 2026: Future Ready Universities & Colleges commenced today at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru, jointly organised by the Department of Higher Education, Government of Karnataka, and Elets Technomedia Pvt. Ltd., brought together over 60 leaders, ministers, IAS officers, university heads, technology companies, policymakers, industry veterans, and academic stakeholders, to deliberate on the future of higher education, employability, skilling and innovation in Karnataka.
Grand Inaugural Ceremony Sets the Tone
The Inaugural ceremony commenced with a prayer and the rendition of the Naada Geethe, Karnataka’s state anthem, which brought the gathering to its feet and set an inspiring tone for the summit proceedings. This was followed by the ceremonial lamp lighting in the presence of distinguished dignitaries, including Smt. Khushboo G. Chowdhary, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Government of Karnataka; Sri Siddaramaiah, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka; Dr. M.C. Sudhakar, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education, Government of Karnataka; Dr. Sharanaprakash Rudrappa Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development, Government of Karnataka; Sri Priyank M. Kharge, Hon’ble Minister, Department of Electronics, IT, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka; Smt. Shalini Rajneesh, Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka; Dr. E.V. Ramana Reddy, IAS, Chairman, Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA), Government of Karnataka; Mohammad Mohsin, Additional Chief Secretary, Medical Education and Skill Development Department, Government of Karnataka; Smt. Kanta Naik, Chairperson, Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC); S. Bharat, IAS, Director, Commissioner of Technical Education; and Dr. Ravi Gupta, Founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief, Elets Technomedia Pvt. Ltd., alongside senior government officials, university leaders, and industry representatives.
Special Publications Launched at the Summit
A major highlight of the inaugural session was the launch of the Vision Framework on Karnataka’s Higher Education Journey, along with the unveiling of the special edition magazine titled “Karnataka Futuristic Vision for Higher Education,” published by Elets Technomedia Pvt. Ltd. The special issue captures Karnataka’s strategic roadmap for advancing higher education through digital transformation, research excellence, industry collaboration, skilling initiatives, and global academic partnerships.
A special magazine titled “Skilling Pathways in Higher Education” launched by the Higher Education Department, Government of Karnataka was also unveiled during the inaugural session, highlighting Karnataka’s evolving approach towards integrating skilling, innovation, technology, and employability within higher education institutions.
Government Leaders Outline Karnataka’s Education Vision
Delivering the Welcome Address, Smt. Khushboo G. Chowdhary, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Government of Karnataka, emphasised the need for building an inclusive and future-focused education ecosystem aligned with industry requirements and emerging workforce demands.
Dr M.C. Sudhakar, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education, Government of Karnataka, outlined the state government’s vision for transforming Karnataka into a global hub for higher education, skilling, innovation, and industry-academia collaboration. He highlighted several initiatives and collaborations with organisations, including the British Council, Microsoft, Siemens, Schneider Electric, Wadhwani Foundation, Tata Electronics, and others, aimed at strengthening employability and future skills among students.
Addressing the summit, Sri Siddaramaiah, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka, stated that Karnataka’s development model places education and human capital at its core. He highlighted the state’s focus on ensuring that students are equipped with the skills, confidence, and capabilities required for emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, semiconductor manufacturing, climate technologies, and digital transformation.
Strategic MoUs Signed to Strengthen Employability and AI Readiness
The inaugural ceremony also witnessed the signing of several strategic Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) focused on AI, skilling, employability, digital learning, financial literacy, and global exposure.
Major collaborations included the SCOUT 2.0 Programme launched by the Karnataka State Higher Education Council in partnership with the British Council, the AI Course for Students Programme with Head Held High Foundation (HHHF), the statewide employability and green skills initiative with 1M1B Foundation, the “Shiksha Setu AI” initiative with SS Sigma Infotech Pvt. Ltd., internship and part-time employment opportunities through Timbuckdo Innovations Pvt. Ltd., and a financial literacy and student skilling programme with the National Stock Exchange of India Limited.
Expo Launch and Networking Sessions Foster Collaboration
The summit also featured the official Expo Launch showcasing innovative solutions, AI-powered education technologies, skilling platforms, digital learning ecosystems, and smart campus solutions from leading organisations and institutions.
The Expo and Networking Tea Break sessions created opportunities for interaction among policymakers, universities, startups, technology companies, and industry stakeholders, encouraging collaboration and knowledge exchange across the higher education ecosystem.
Industry Leadership Sessions Spotlight AI, Creativity and Future Skills
The post-inaugural sessions began with an Industry Leadership Address on “The Orange Economy Meets AI: Building a Future Where Skills, Access, and Creative Potential Work Together” by Mayank Dhingra, Director & Global Head, Education Business and Strategy, HP Inc., who highlighted how AI and creativity are reshaping the global workforce and democratising opportunities for learners.
This was followed by a University Session on “Building a Future-Ready Education Ecosystem” by Dr. Prakash S, Pro Vice Chancellor, Dayananda Sagar University.
An Industry Leadership Address by Pramod Idiculla, Director, Enterprise Learning, Adobe, focused on “Adobe and India’s Next Job Wave: Building the Future Workforce Through Creativity, AI, and the Orange Economy,” emphasising the growing importance of creativity-driven economies, digital tools, and AI-enabled innovation.
Another important academic session on “Engineering Education in the AI Era – Challenges, Opportunities & Path Forward” was delivered by Dr. Sriram Devanathan, Principal, Amrita School of Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Bengaluru.
Policymakers and Academic Leaders Discuss Outcome-Based Higher Education
One of the key sessions of the summit was Panel 1 on “The Government of Karnataka’s Vision for Outcome-Based Higher Education,” chaired by Prof. S. R. Niranjana, Vice Chairman, Karnataka State Higher Education Council, and moderated by Dr. Ravi Gupta, Founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Elets Technomedia Pvt. Ltd.
The panel featured Khushboo Goel Chowdhary, Secretary, Higher Education Department, Government of Karnataka; Dr. S. Vidyashankar, Vice Chancellor, Visvesvaraya Technological University; Prof. B K Ravi, Vice Chancellor, Bengaluru North University; Prof. B. S. Satyanarayana, Vice Chancellor, Dayananda Sagar University; Prof. Kuldeep Kumar Raina, Vice Chancellor, M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences; and Prashasti Rastogi, Senior Director, Campus and Government, Coursera.
A parallel high-level discussion, “From Silos to Synergy: Reimagining Higher Education for Industry-Ready Talent,” moderated by Dr. T N Nagabhushana, Vice Chancellor, Kishkinda University, Ballari, focused on creating stronger industry-academia integration.
The panel brought together Prof. Godwin Tennyson, Director (i/c), Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli; Dr. Shobha G, Director, Department of Collegiate Education, Government of Karnataka; Abhay G. Chebbi, Pro-Chancellor, Alliance University; Prof. Sarah Maddison, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, The University of New South Wales, Sydney; and Prof. Ramesh B, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University.
Discussions Focus on Skilling and Employability Integration
Panel 2 on “From Education to Employment: Institutionalising Skilling in Formal Education” was chaired by Shri Ramana Reddy, Chairman, Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA), Government of Karnataka, and moderated by Arun Kumar Isac, Director – Government and Education, HP India.
The session featured a Special Address by Sri Prakash Koliwad, Member of Legislative Assembly, Ranebennur Constituency, along with participation from Dr. Usha Titus, Chairman & Managing Director, ASAP Kerala; Prof. S Sadagopan, Chairman, Karnataka Higher Education Vision Group; Prof. C. M. Thyagaraja, Vice-Chancellor, Rani Channamma University; and Dr. Neeraj Mahindroo, Dean – Academics and Quality Assurance, Apollo Healthcare Academy. The discussion focused on embedding skilling frameworks into mainstream higher education and ensuring stronger employability outcomes for students.
An expert session by Salil Pande, Founder and CEO, VMock Inc., further highlighted the role of AI-driven employability and career readiness platforms in helping students align with evolving industry expectations.
Medical Education and Healthcare Readiness Discussions Take Centre Stage
Another important session, “Future-Ready Doctors: Bridging Medical Education with AI, Clinical Skills & Real-World Healthcare Needs,” was moderated by Dr. Pushpa Sarkar, Dean, School of Health Sciences, Dayananda Sagar University. The panel featured Mohammad Mohsin, Additional Chief Secretary, Medical Education and Skill Development Department, Government of Karnataka, and Dr. Basavanagowdappa H, Vice Chancellor, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru. The discussion explored the growing role of AI, digital tools, simulation-based learning, and real-world healthcare integration in modern medical education systems.
AI-Ready Workforce and Emerging Technologies Dominate Discussions
Panel 3 on “Developing the AI-Ready Workforce,” chaired by Madan Padaki, Founder, JanAI & Co-Chair, Karnataka Higher Education Vision Group, and moderated by Prof. Vijaysekhar Chellaboina, Vice Chancellor, JK Lakshmipat University, brought together Andreea Willmott, Vinay Swamy, Dr. E.A. Gopalakrishnan, Satya Narayanan R, Murlidhar S, and Pramod Idiculla to discuss AI literacy, workforce adaptability, and future digital skills required in evolving technology-driven economies.
The sessions also featured an Industry Insights presentation by Vivek Chandrasekharan, Head of Marketing and Software Solutions, Roombr Technologies, showcasing smart classroom and immersive learning technologies transforming higher education environments.
Adding global perspectives to the discussion, representatives from the Asian Development Bank, including Shaun Wellbourne-Wood and David Israel, shared insights on education transformation, innovation, and future workforce development.
Assessment Frameworks and AI-Enabled Universities Highlight Future Learning Models
A key discussion on “Designing Skill-Based Assessment Frameworks for a Future-Ready Higher Education Ecosystem,” moderated by Dr. Sriram Devanathan, Principal, Amrita School of Engineering, brought together S Narayanan, Director General and Secretary, Higher Education Department, Government of Haryana; Prof. M. Muniraju, Vice Chancellor, Vijayanagara Sri Krishnadevaraya University; Prof. Dr. Jayakara Shetty M, Vice-Chancellor, Bangalore University; and Col. Dr. S.N. Sridhara, Vice Chancellor, Adichunchanagiri University. The panel focused on competency-based assessments and aligning evaluation systems with industry-driven skill requirements.
The concluding panel discussion, “AI-Enabled Universities: Transforming How Karnataka Learns, Teaches and Leads,” moderated by Dr. Vishal Gupta, Dean (Academics), JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, explored how AI, digital ecosystems, and smart technologies are reshaping higher education. The panel featured Mr. Pattanasetty Rajashekhar, Dr. P. Manoj, Dr. Janaka Pushpanathan, Hemant Sahal, Raghav Narayan, and Dr. Ashok Mehatha.
Trilogue Session Reinforces Karnataka’s Future-Ready Education Mission
The day concluded with a Trilogue Session on “Future-Ready Karnataka: Embedding Skills into Higher Education Frameworks,” moderated by N. N. Rao, Technical Advisor, KSDA, featuring Dr. M.C. Sudhakar, Hon’ble Minister for Higher Education, Government of Karnataka, and Smt. Khushboo Goel Chowdhary, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Government of Karnataka.
The session showed Karnataka’s commitment towards building a globally competitive, innovation-driven, and employability-focused higher education ecosystem aligned with future industry and workforce needs.
The day concluded with a Cultural Performance, reflecting the energy, creativity, and ambition of Karnataka’s youth and academic ecosystem.
The Summit will continue on Day 2 with discussions on Centres of Excellence, semiconductor talent development, financial talent pipelines, startups, entrepreneurship, and Karnataka’s Vision 2030 for higher education and workforce transformation.
For more information, visit: https://campustocareersummit.com/
