Activities

Visit of Prof. Nagaraj Neerchal, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)

Date : July 10th, 2026

Prof. Nagaraj Neerchal from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) visited Chanakya University and spent more than a week engaging with faculty and students across different Schools. Prof. Neerchal is also a Visiting Professor at Chanakya University and, during his visit, interacted with faculty members including Dr. Amal Vijay, Dr. Shubhada Hegde, and Prof. Subramanya, among others.

As part of his engagement as a Visiting Professor, Prof. Neerchal interacted with students and delivered lectures, providing students with an opportunity to learn from his academic and research experience. He also continued his involvement in the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) initiative between Chanakya University and University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), contributing to online teaching and international classroom engagement.

During the visit, discussions also explored opportunities for long-term academic and research collaboration, including the development of new academic areas, curriculum, and teaching programmes related to statistics, data science and databases creation.

The visit, including faculty and student interactions and COIL-related activities, was coordinated and supported by Dr. Ravikant Ranjan, Associate Director, Global Engagement, Chanakya University.

Online Meeting with Prof. Matsushita, Kanazawa University, Japan

Date : July 8th, 2026

The Global Engagement Office held an online meeting with Prof. Matsushita and colleagues from Kanazawa University, Japan, on 8 July 2026 to explore opportunities for student mobility, internships, and project-based experiential learning between the two institutions. The meeting was attended by Dr. Ravikant Ranjan and Sri Yashwanth D. N. from Chanakya University.

The discussion focused on a proposed programme under which Japanese students would visit India to undertake market-oriented projects and internships, supported by Japanese companies and organisations. The initiative aims to combine practical project experience with academic mentoring and industry engagement.

Given Chanakya University’s location in Bengaluru and its access to a strong industry ecosystem, the meeting explored the possibility of developing a similar model at Chanakya University, including two-way student mobility. This could provide opportunities for Japanese students to undertake projects and internships in India, while enabling Chanakya students to explore exchange and project-based learning opportunities at Kanazawa University.

The meeting concluded with an agreement to further explore project- and internship-based visits by Japanese students to India, as well as student exchange and mobility opportunities for Chanakya students. Industry-supported experiential learning opportunities in Bengaluru will also be considered. Prof. Matsushita is expected to visit Chanakya University in September for further discussions, while additional details on the proposed programme, including its academic and financial framework, are awaited from Kanazawa University.

Visit of Shri Rajesh N. Naik, Consul General of India, Hong Kong & Macau

Date : July 8th, 2026

Chanakya University welcomed Shri Rajesh N. Naik, Consul General of India, Hong Kong & Macau, on 8 July 2026 for an institutional visit focused on strengthening international academic engagement and exploring opportunities for collaboration with universities and institutions in Hong Kong.

During the visit, Shri Naik interacted with Prof. Sushant Joshi, Registrar; Prof. Subramanya, Officiating Vice-Chancellor; Prof Ashwin Kumar, Dean (Academic Affairs), Dr Saurav Sarmah, Asst. Prof., SAHSS and Dr. Ravikant Ranjan, Associate Director, Global Engagement; and other senior University officials. Discussions focused on the role of the Consulate in supporting Chanakya University’s international outreach and facilitating connections with universities and academic institutions in Hong Kong.

The visit also included a guided tour of the Chanakya University campus, providing an opportunity to showcase the University’s academic environment, initiatives, and multidisciplinary approach. Shri Naik appreciated the University’s efforts and its alignment with the vision and objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The visit concluded with further discussions on strengthening institutional linkages and exploring avenues for sustained academic engagement between Chanakya University and institutions in Hong Kong.

The visit was coordinated by Dr. Pradeep Kumar Sharma, Associate Professor, SLGPP and OSD, Registrar’s Office, Chanakya University.

Chanakya Signs MoU with San Diego State University (SDSU), USA

Date : June 17th, 2026

Chanakya University recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with San Diego State University (SDSU), with the support and facilitation of Prof. Sunil Kumar, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), SDSU. As a follow-up to the MoU and to explore opportunities for meaningful academic engagement, Prof. Kumar visited Chanakya University on 17 June 2026.

Prof. Kumar engaged with the School of Engineering (SoE) and held discussions with Prof. Shobana Padmanabhan, Director (Academics), School of Engineering. He also interacted with faculty members of the School to explore potential areas of academic and research collaboration, including opportunities for joint academic activities and faculty engagement.

He further met with Prof. Subramanya, Acting Vice-Chancellor, Chanakya University, and exchanged views on strengthening the institutional relationship between SDSU and Chanakya University. The discussions highlighted the importance of translating the recently signed MoU into concrete academic and research initiatives.

This visit was facilitated by Global Engagement, Prof Kumar interacted with Dr. Ravikant Ranjan, Associate Director, Global Engagement, to discuss the implementation of the MoU and identify potential areas for institutional collaboration. The discussion also focused on possible academic activities, faculty engagement, student opportunities, and research collaboration between the two universities.

The visit provided a valuable opportunity to build on the newly established partnership and initiate discussions towards sustained academic, faculty, student, and research collaboration between SDSU and Chanakya University.

Global Engagement Hosts Prof. Ashwin Rao (Stanford) for Academic Collaboration Discussions

Date : May 30th, 2026

The Office of Global Engagement at Chanakya University proudly welcomed Prof. Ashwin Rao, Adjunct Professor at Stanford University and Executive Vice President of AI Tech at o9 Solutions, for a comprehensive day of high-level academic interactions and strategic discussions across multiple schools of the University. This significant visit highlights Chanakya University’s ongoing commitment to fostering global academic engagement, driving technological innovation, and building meaningful partnerships with globally recognized scholars and industry leaders.

The visit commenced with an initial briefing between Prof. Rao and Dr. Ravikant Ranjan (Associate Director, Global Engagement). This was immediately followed by a detailed roundtable discussion with Prof. Dileep Prabhakar Jatkar, Dean of the School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (SMNS), alongside faculty members. The core focus of this session centered heavily on the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and advancing interdisciplinary research across mathematics, computing, and natural sciences, while creating robust avenues for future academic and industrial research collaborations.

Continuing the day’s itinerary, Prof. Rao engaged extensively with the School of Engineering in a session led by Prof. Shobana Padmanabhan, Director of Academics, and engineering faculty members. The dialogue targeted the critical need to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world technology deployments by focusing on industry-linked engineering education, AI-driven innovation, digital transformation, and curriculum development. Following the formal session, Prof. Padmanabhan and the faculty hosted Prof. Rao for a networking lunch, creating informal setting for continued dialogue and the exchange of modern pedagogical ideas.

Drawing from his extensive experience at the intersection of elite academia and enterprise technology leadership, Prof. Rao shared invaluable insights on the shifting demands of the global tech workforce and the precise skills required for future-ready graduates.

Moving forward, faculty members across the University explored concrete roadmaps for sustained future engagement, detailing opportunities for guest lectures, mentoring, collaborative projects, and joint industry-academia initiatives. Ultimately, the visit served as a powerful platform for intellectual exchange, reinforcing Chanakya University’s mission to deliver globally integrated education and stay at the forefront of technological advancement through meaningful partnerships.

University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and Chanakya University Explore Strategic Academic Collaboration 

Date : February 15th, 2026

Chanakya University continues to advance its global engagement initiatives through a recent meeting between Mr. Adam Holden, Director of International Partnerships & Recruitment at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), USA and Dr. Ravikant Ranjan, Associate Director- Global Engagement, Chanakya University, where they explore avenues for institutional collaboration. 

Mr. Holden, who leads UMBC’s international partnerships and recruitment strategy, serves as the university’s primary contact for global institutional collaborations. His role focuses on promoting and strengthening the international dimensions of teaching, research, and service at UMBC. 

During the meeting, Dr. Ranjan presented an overview of Chanakya University’s academic initiatives, interdisciplinary programs, pedagogical framework, and emerging research strengths. Both institutions recognized strong alignment in their academic philosophy, commitment to student success, and emphasis on global engagement. 

The discussions explored potential collaboration in areas including student exchange and academic progression pathways, research mobility and faculty engagement, short-term academic visits, and structured hosting of visiting scholars. The institutions also examined innovative collaboration models such as Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) and other blended formats to facilitate scalable academic interaction. 

In addition, both sides expressed interest in formalizing mutual intent for collaboration by non-binding agreement and establish a framework for sustained academic cooperation and potential joint initiatives. 

This meeting marks a meaningful step toward strengthening transnational academic partnerships and expanding opportunities for students and faculty at both institutions. Chanakya University looks forward to continued dialogue and the development of pilot initiatives that reflect shared institutional priorities.