St. Joseph’s Institute of Management (SJIM), ISME and Indus Business Academy hosted the AIMS South Zone Regional Conference 2025 on the theme: “Emerging Trends in AI & Sustainability: Shaping the Future of Higher Education.” in collaboration with the Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS), The conference brought together academia, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and students to deliberate on the future of management education in India. The inauguration was presided over by Rev. Dr. Roshan David Pereira SJ (Director, SJIM) and Dr. Rony G Kurien, Chairman AIMS Karnataka and Kerala Chapter Dr. Ramakanta Patra (National President, AIMS 2024–25).Dr. P. Narayan Reddy (National Executive Board Member AIMS), Dr .K.S. Viswanath,Vice President NASSCOM and Dr. Nandesh V. Hiremath Vice Chairman

AIMS Karnataka Chapter Keynote speakers included: leaders from NASSCOM, IBM India, and global academia, who shared insights on the impact of AI, the role of Global Capability Centers, 21st-century skills, and industry–academia engagement.

• Dr. Sowmya Narayanan spoke on “Emerging Trends in L&D Ecosystem for Skilling in the 21st Century.”
• Dr. Sanjay Prasad (IBM India) addressed “The Future of Higher Education in India – Insights from Industry Leaders.”
• Prof. Edwin Moses discussed “How Higher Education Institutions Can Leverage Industry-Academia Collaborations.”

Two insightful panel discussions were held:
1. Industry–Academia Collaborations: Relevance & the Road Ahead in the Context of Global Universities Entering India
o Moderated by Dr. Rajiv Noronha (SJIM).
o Panelists included industry and academic leaders such as Mr. Santhosh Rebello (Salesforce), Mr. Bhaskar
Bhandary (Acer), Dr. Sheelan Misra (Unithink Education), Dr. Jitendra Kumar Mishra (Jain University), and
Dr. Purnajit Chatterjee (ISME).

2. Implications of Innovation, AI & Sustainability in Management Education
o Moderated by Dr. Vikku Agarwal (SJIM).
o Panelists included Mr. Shyam Prasad (Infosys), Mr. Nav Kishlay (Poornakala Project), Mr. Faiz Sirkhot
(LineupX), Dr. Pavan Soni (Innovation Evangelist), and Mr. Bharatkumar Karanam (Edukron).

The day concluded with a Valedictory Address by Dr. T. V. Rao (Chairman, TVRLS & former IIM Ahmedabad professor), followed by certificate distribution and networking.

The conference created a meaningful platform for dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing, reinforcing the importance of industry–academia partnerships in preparing future-ready leaders.

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