Correspondent
Kohima, SEP 26 (NPN): World Academic Centre (WAC) was formally inaugurated on Saturday through an online programme held under the theme “Knowledge Society,” bringing together academicians, researchers and scholars from 12 countries, including India, Palestine, the United States, South Korea, Portugal, Norway, Malaysia, Nepal, Indonesia, Israel, Australia and France.
Delivering the inaugural address, Prof. Dr. Murari Lal Gaur, vice chancellor of Kaziranga University, Assam, emphasised collaboration, integration and meaningful academic interaction beyond institutional, disciplinary and geographical boundaries. He encouraged academicians to exchange ideas, remain curious, respectfully disagree and work together across universities and countries. Prof. Gaur outlined three principles for academic engagement-“Collect, Collaborate and Create”-and said WAC could serve as a bridge connecting scholars, ideas and generations across borders.
He further stressed that while technology and artificial intelligence were important tools, social transformation ultimately depended on people, ideas, intellectual engagement and the application of knowledge.
Prof. Dr. Panch Ramalingam, director, UGC Human Resource Development Centre, Pondicherry University, also addressed the programme. He called for stronger collaboration among academicians across countries and highlighted the importance of strengthening academic cooperation in the context of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Distinguished historian and former professor at Nagaland University, Prof. Visier Sanyü, spoke on the changing nature of academia and the need to make knowledge more human. He emphasised that indigenous knowledge should not be treated merely as folklore but brought into respectful dialogue with modern scientific knowledge. Prof. Sanyü highlighted humility, empathy and peace as important values in academic life and called for research that works with communities while recognising diverse sources of knowledge.
The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Wael Mustafa Abuhasan, Arab American University of Palestine, who stressed the need to transform information into knowledge and knowledge into skills, solutions and wisdom. He said education should prepare learners to confront real world challenges and emphasised collaboration, interdisciplinary engagement and the preservation of human judgement and creativity alongside artificial intelligence.
The welcome address was delivered by Prof. Dr. Zavise Rume, founder and chairman of WAC, who outlined the vision of establishing a global academic platform and fostering a knowledge society through intellectual exchange. The programme was chaired by Dr. Bongliba T. Sangtam, Research Scientist at HITSZ, China and general secretary, WAC. Dr. Rashmi, Assistant Professor, Nagaland University and general secretary, WAC, delivered the concluding remarks.
The inaugural programme also witnessed participation of several distinguished academicians, including Prof. Sambavsa, Vice Chancellor of Dr. RVR NRI Institute of Technology and former VC of Mizoram University; Prof. Dipak Kumar Shukla, Registrar, Sai Nath University, Ranchi; Prof. Anatha Ramu, Davangere University, Karnataka; Dr. Chemtingla, and other scholars from India and abroad.
WAC plans to organise regular monthly webinars, research presentations, interdisciplinary discussions and knowledge sharing programmes to provide members opportunities to present research and perspectives from different countries and disciplines.
The Centre aims to promote international academic collaboration and gradually expand its network to between 50 and 100 countries.
The inauguration marked the beginning of WAC’s initiative to build a global academic community based on knowledge sharing, collaboration, intellectual dialogue and mutual learning under the guiding theme of a “Knowledge Society.”