Tokyo,
Japan, 6 July 2026 : O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU)
successfully convened the 3rd India–Japan Higher Education Forum 2026 on the
theme “Shaping Universities of the Future in the Era of Human and Artificial
Intelligence.” The Forum in Tokyo brought together senior
university leaders, diplomats, policymakers, academics and students from India
and Japan for a substantive dialogue on higher education, academic mobility,
research collaboration, technology, sustainability and education diplomacy. The
Forum brought together a former Prime Minister of Japan, a distinguished Indian
parliamentarian, diplomats and senior leaders of Japan’s leading universities
to shape the future of higher education in the age of artificial intelligence
at a defining moment in the India–Japan Special Strategic and Global
Partnership.
It
assumed special significance in the larger context of the India–Japan Summit
between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, which
reaffirmed the depth and future direction of the India–Japan Special Strategic
and Global Partnership. At a moment when both nations are advancing cooperation
in technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, economic security,
resilience and people-to-people exchanges, the Tokyo Colloquium underscored the
indispensable role of universities in giving intellectual, institutional and
human depth to this partnership.
The Inaugural Session opened with a Welcome Address by Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of JGU, followed by a Special Address by H.E. Mr. Hatoyama Yukio, Former Prime Minister of Japan. In his reflective address, Mr. Hatoyama remarked: “Japan and India share a relationship that goes beyond diplomacy and contemporary cooperation. It is rooted in a deeper civilisational bond shaped over centuries by Buddhism, ethical thought and spiritual exchange. The philosophy of Yu-ai, or fraternity, speaks to mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutual assistance, and finds a natural resonance with Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of Ahimsa (Non-Violence) and Sarvodaya (The Welfare of All). In this shared inheritance, Japan and India have the opportunity to offer the world a vision of harmony, human dignity and coexistence, inspired by the timeless Indian wisdom that the world is one family.”
He
concluded by saying, “Education for young people is inseparable from the
creation of our future, and I sincerely hope that deeper collaboration between
JGU and Japanese universities will enable more students to participate in
mutual exchange, strengthening Japan–India relations in academia, economics and
culture.”
Professor
(Dr.) C. Raj Kumar then delivered the Inaugural Address, confirming JGU’s
long-term commitment to Japan and its vision of universities as enduring
bridges between the two nations. A Special Address was delivered by H.E. Mr.
R. Madhu Sudan, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of India, Tokyo, who conveyed
the Mission’s warm support for deeper academic and institutional cooperation
between India and Japan and welcomed the Forum as a timely contribution to the
two countries’ Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
This
was followed by the Keynote Address, delivered by Professor (Dr.) Tomohiko
Taniguchi, Former Special Advisor to the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,
who offered a considered perspective on the strategic dimensions of the
India–Japan relationship and the role of knowledge, innovation and higher
education in shaping the future of the Indo-Pacific and the world at large.
A
key highlight was the Distinguished Public Lecture by Dr. Shashi Tharoor,
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, India, and Chairman of the Parliamentary
Standing Committee on External Affairs.
Addressing a full and distinguished audience of university leaders, diplomats
and students, Dr. Tharoor reflected on the evolving relationship between India
and Japan and the role of higher education, ideas and people-to-people
engagement in shaping the future of Asia in an age of rapid technological
change. In the course of his remarks, he warmly appreciated JGU’s sustained and
meticulous efforts in building deep and enduring academic ties with Japan,
observing that institutional initiative of this kind embodies the very
people-to-people foundations on which lasting bilateral relationships are
built.
The
session also witnessed the launch of the JGU Sustainability Report 2026 by
Professor Padmanabha Ramanujam, Dean, Office of Academic Governance, JGU.
The
Forum’s Panel Discussion brought together an esteemed gathering of senior
leaders from Japan’s leading universities on a single stage. Moderated by
Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of JGU, the panel
featured Professor (Dr.) Kaori Hayashi, Executive Vice President, University of
Tokyo; Professor (Dr.) Shoichiro Iwakiri, President, International Christian
University; Professor (Dr.) Noriyuki Takahashi, President, Musashi University;
Professor (Dr.) Miki Sugimura, President, Sophia University; Professor (Dr.)
Nobuo Haruna, President, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies; Professor (Dr.)
Matthew Wilson, President and Dean, Temple University, Japan Campus; Professor
(Dr.) Masahiko Gemma, Vice President, Waseda University; and Hon’ble Mr.
Justice Michael D. Wilson, Former Judge, Supreme Court of Hawaii.
The
Forum also hosted a Certificate Distribution Ceremony for nearly 200 JGU students
who completed Short-Term Study Abroad Programmes (ST-SAPs) at JGU’s partner
universities across Japan in Summer 2026,
including Chuo University, Kyorin University, Musashi University, Temple
University, Japan Campus, the University of Tokyo and the University of
Yamanashi. The ceremony was presented by Professor Hinaho Kishi, Assistant
Professor and Assistant Director, Office of International Affairs and Global
Initiatives, JGU, and Ms. Ananya Lall, student of the Bachelor of Business
Administration (Hons.) programme at the Jindal Global Business School, JGU.
Speaking
on the occasion, Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, JGU,
said: “The 3rd India–Japan Higher Education Forum
reflects JGU’s abiding commitment to building enduring bridges between India
and Japan through higher education, research, innovation, student mobility and
sustained dialogue on the future of universities in the age of artificial
intelligence. As we embrace the extraordinary possibilities of technology,
universities have a responsibility to ensure that artificial intelligence
deepens human understanding, advances the public good and strengthens global
cooperation. Universities must remain custodians of human values, critical
thinking, ethical judgment and public purpose even as they prepare future
generations for a rapidly changing world. It is in this union of technological
ambition and humanistic purpose that the universities of the future will be
shaped, and India and Japan are natural partners in that endeavour.”
Professor
(Dr.) Akhil Bhardwaj, Executive Dean and Director, Office of International
Affairs and Global Initiatives, JGU, said: “JGU’s
engagement in Japan extends far beyond a single event. The Forum reflects a
larger institutional effort to create meaningful partnerships, deepen student
and faculty mobility, and build enduring platforms for sustained academic
collaboration between Indian and Japanese universities. The Forum, our study
abroad programmes and the breadth of our engagements with partners across Japan
together represent a long-term investment in the people-to-people foundations
of the India–Japan relationship.”
The
3rd India–Japan Higher Education Forum 2026 affirmed that the future of the
India–Japan relationship will not be shaped by governments and markets alone,
but also by universities, scholars and students who build trust across
cultures, generate new knowledge, and prepare the next generation of leaders in
both countries to learn with and from one another.