NEHU facilitating closer international academic exchange

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 7, 2022

The Office of International Affairs (OIA) of NEHU and NERC-ICSSR hosted a distinguished foreign policy lecture entitled, “Identity Politics in South West Africa and South South Africa”: Tribal and Ethnic Factors” at NEHU, Shillong on Tuesday.

The lecture was delivered by Ambassador Mahesh Sachvev, IFS (Retd.) who explained the impact of colonization on Africa by major Western powers that ended up dividing boundaries and areas in an extremely divisive manner.

Speaking as Chief Guest Vice-Chancellor of NEHU and Chairman of North-East Centre of Indian Council of Social Sciences Research, Shillong Prof. P. S. Shukla exhorted the foreign policy community of India to create grounds of synergy between ASEAN, G20 and African nations.

 He emphasized the fact that the Office of International Affairs (OIA) of NEHU is facilitating closer international academic exchange that can provide opportunities to not only students and researchers but to the youth in general by creating a platform for knowledge products and service by well-trained youth from North Eastern region.

Ambassador Rudi Warjri, IFS (retired) while commenting upon Ambassador Mahesh Sachdev’s  work in gulf region and Africa pointed out to India’s accommodative and inclusive policy of not allowing African states to disintegrate in the pressure from external and internal forces, but to create conditions of peace and stability in Africa and elsewhere. India’s role in Afrcia, according to Rudi Warjri received much appreciation across the board for her insightful global and democratic perspectives.

Earlier welcoming the distinguished guests, Prof. Prasenjit Biswas, on behalf of OIA expressed the hope that NEHU shall become a hub of students from foreign countries and this will help deepen Act East policy in the field of higher education. 

In his concluding address, Prof. Bhagirath Panda, the Honorary director of the NERC-ICSSR further elaborated upon NEHU’s role in setting up multilateral and multicultural collaboration in all fields of higher education so that social sciences in the region can play a significant role in building meaningful international relations. He pointed out immense possibility of NEHU and social sciences research in binding together South and Southeast Asia and carry forward the perspective elsewhere to understand complex strategic, economic and educational scenario emerging in global South.