HEF Convention towards excellence in Higher Education, Invitation from Dr. A K Sengupta, Convener HEF, & Mr. Manish Panchal Convener Organizing Committee 1st Annual convention HEF. for registration contact mipanchal@yahoo.com

1. HIGHER EDUCATION FORUM
1st Annual Convention 2010
Theme
Towards Excellence in Higher Education
Saturday 6th March 2010
Welingkar Institute of Management
Development & Research
Matunga, Mumbai

2. About HEF
Vision
To help transform higher education in India as one of the best in the world
Brief about HEF
Higher Education Forum (HEF) is a voluntary non-profit group of individuals as well as
organizations representing various stakeholders directly or indirectly associated with any
form of higher education in India. The word higher education here means any stream of
education after 12th standard i.e. graduation onwards to doctoral program, technical
areas like engineering, professional courses including management education, among
others. It also includes all types of vocational educational programs in India after 12th
standard.
Besides institutional partners, the members of the Forum include academicians & teaching
community spanning all areas / sectors, corporate executives, academic entrepreneurs,
management professionals, scientists, engineers, and all those committed to growth &
development of higher education in India and abroad.
The Forum was launched about a year ago by a number of academicians and corporate
representatives to create “voice of individuals” in the space of higher education, with a
strong belief that reforms in higher education is imperative, if India is to find a place in the
league of nations on a sustainable basis in the years to come.
The Forum was started as a Google group and continues to be so. Today there are more
than 1,600 members representing various stakeholders from the field of higher
education. The Forum is shortly proposing to form itself into a legal entity and aims to
emerge as the “voice of practitioners” for reforms in various areas of higher education in
India.

3. Program Schedule
09:30 am Registration
10:00 am Inaugural Session
Inaugural Plenary Session
Welcome Address
Key Note Address
HEF-Westat, USA, Skills Gap Research Report Release
Closing Remarks
11:30 am Tea Break Networking
11:45 am Session 2
Panel Discussion on Excellence in Higher Education: Issues & Perspectives
01:00 pm Lunch Break Networking
01:45 pm Session 3
Panel Discussion on Innovation with Particular Reference to Higher Education: Issues & Strategies
03:00 pm Tea Break Networking
03:15 pm Session 4
HEF - Road Ahead Break out Sessions
Brain Storming Parallel Sessions and Presentations:
 Theme 1: Policy Framework & Regulation
(NKC, Yashpal Committee & NCHER, 2010)
 Theme 2: Achieving Global Quality Standard
(in line with AACSB, EQUIS, ACBSP, IACBE, AMBA among others)
 Theme 3: Managing Student Expectations & Formation of Student Chapter of HEF
 Theme 4: Bringing Corporate & Academia Closer
04:30 pm Summary Presentations
Announcement of Various Managing Committees
05:00 pm Session 5
Skills Gap Report Presentations by Westat, USA
Felicitation of Senior Members of HEF
Valediction
Vote of Thanks

4. List of Some Invited Speakers / Moderators / Guests of Honor (in alphabetical order)
Dr. Alexander Ratnofsky Dr. P V Ramana
Senior Vice President, Head Education Research, Chairman, ITM Group
Westat Research Corporation USA Mr. Raman Uberoi
Ms. Anjali Raina Senior Director, CRISIL
Executive Director, HBS-India Research Center Dr. S S Mantha
Mr. Ashank Desai Chairman (Acting), AICTE
Chairman, Mastek Mr. S Swaminathan
Dr. Atindra Sen CEO, Myiris
Director General, Bombay Chamber Dr. Suresh Ghai
Dr. Chandra Krishnamurthy Director, K J Somaiya institute of Management
Vice Chancellor, SNDT University Studies & Research
Dr. G S Singh Mr. Syed Shahabuddin
Former Principal Consultant, TCS MD, CCIL (The Clearing Corporation of India Ltd)
Dr. Ganesh Natarajan Dr. Uday Salunkhe
Global CEO, Zensar Technologies & former Group Director, Welingkar Institute of Management
Chairman, NASSCOM Development & Research
Mr. Harsh Manglik Dr. Uma Ganesh
Chairman, Accenture CEO, Golbal Talent Track
Dr. Indu Sahani Mr. Thothathri Raman
Principal, H. R. College of Commerce & Economics Consulting Editor, Business India
Dr. K Kesavasamy Prof. V N Rajasekharan Pillai
Global Head – Academic Interface Program, TCS Vice Chancellor, IGNOU
Mr. Kiran Karnik Padmashri Dr. Vijay P Bhatkar
Chairman, IIIT, Delhi Chief Mentor, IIIT, Pune
Dr. N M Kondap Dr. Y K Bhushan
Former Vice Chancellor, NMIMS. Chief Advisor, IBS (ICFAI Business School)
Dr. Narendra Jadhav Mr. Y S S Kapdi
Member, Planning Commission, Government of India MD and CEO, SBI DFHI (State Bank of India –
Discount & Finance House of India)
Note: Some more confirmations awaited

5. Who should attend? Convention
Advisory Committee
Directors, Deans and Chairperson
Heads of Higher Education Dr. Ganesh Natarajan
Institutions Global CEO, Zensar Technologies
Advisory Committee (Mumbai)
Ms. Anjali Raina
Corporate Mr. Kishan Khanna
Executives – Public Prof. P V Ramanna
and Private Mr. Sanjay Muthal
Mr. Swaminathan Iyer
Prof. Uday Salunke
Teaching faculty of Prof. Y K Bhushan
Higher Education
Advisory Committee (outside Mumbai)
Trainers, Mr. B. R. Bhandari, Geneva, Delhi
Prof. Dhananjay Keskar, Pune
Consultants and
Mr. Premchand Palety, Delhi
others Prof. Rajesh Khajuria, Vadodara
Prof. Shaharshrabudhe, Pune
Prof. T R Venkatesh, Bengaluru
Research and Mr. Thothathri Raman, Delhi
Rating Agencies Prof. Tridibesh Bandopadhaya, Kolkata
Prof Varun Arya, Jodhpur
Registration Fee: Convention
Organizing Committee
a. Life academic / corporate members: No delegate fees
Mr. Conrad Saldanha
b. Academic members (teachers / trainers) who have not paid the
life membership fees: Rs 250/-- Dr. G S Singh
c. Corporate members who have not paid the life membership fees: Mr. Harish Ayer
Rs 500/-- Mr. Manish Panchal
Prof. Parag Amin
Since the number of delegates is proposed to be restricted to 150 for better Prof. R S S Mani
interaction and also logistical considerations, we request the members to Mr. Ranjeev Manrao
kindly register immediately by sending the reply to our group.
Ms Rashmi Bansal
The registration fees, wherever applicable, may be paid through cheque by Mr. Saurabh Das
local delegates and demand draft by outstation delegates through the Dr. Suresh Ghai
instrument favoring “Higher Education Forum” latest by 27th February,
Prof. Vikram Parekh
2010.