In 2024 Deakin is celebrating three decades of existence in India and marked this milestone by partnering with the India Australia Business & Community Alliance (IABCA) who are celebrating a decade of existence by launching the inaugural Deakin x IABCA Leadership Series during Prime Minister Modi’s Vibrant Gujarat Summit at GIFT City.
Deakin University is the first international university in the world to open a teaching campus in India through the establishment of its international branch campus at the GIFT City at Gandhinagar, Gujarat and the first international university to set up operations in 1994.
Leading up to the official campus inauguration, Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, met with the Deakin delegation, and spoke about enhancing collaboration between government and academic institutions pertaining to cyber security, Deakin’s three-decade presence and engagement in India, and the upcoming campus inauguration alongside the Vibrant Gujarat Summit.
IABCA as the largest bi-lateral platform that strengthens the India-Australia relationship by honouring people-to-people links was pleased to collaborate with Education partner Deakin to share this people centric government and industry approach. Having steadily engaged in cultural diplomacy and bilateral growth through people, organisations, and businesses, the launch of the Deakin x IABCA Leadership Series kick started the industry engagement during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, bringing together prominent figures from both Indian and Australian governments and industries including Princess Jahanvi from the Royal family of Mewar, a Deakin Alumni demonstrating a participative dialogue on ‘Building Sustainable Futures across the Australia-India Corridor’.
Speaking on the launch of the Series His Excellency. Philip Green OAM, High Commissioner of Australia to India said:
“I thank Deakin and IABCA for this initiative. Forums like the Deakin X IABCA Leadership Series provide a platform for dialogue between business, academia, and the broader community. This is a good example of how Australia and India’s people-to-people links, our ‘human bridge’, give so much strength to our relationship.”
Speaking on the launch of the Series Ravneet Pahwa, Vice President Global Alliances & CEO South Asia Deakin University Australia said:
“It gives me immense pleasure to launch the Deakin University X IABCA Leadership Series 2024 at a pivotal moment when Deakin University celebrates three years of engagement in India with the landmark inauguration of its India campus. Over the years Deakin has created a legacy of holistic understanding and partnership across the academic, industrial and government landscape of India. Leveraging the soft power of knowledge diplomacy to enmesh ties between Australia and India further, Deakin has found invaluable support from IABCA to strategically enhance its vital industry engagement.
It is my firm belief that the series will work as a crucial platform as well as a catalyst to bring together people who are motivated by challenges and the desire to explore the bi-lateral corridor to forge better ties of business, knowledge, and community outcomes in the backdrop of cultural amity and environmental responsibility.”
Speaking on the launch of the Series Sonia Sadiq Gandhi, Australia Day Amb. Founder, IABCA and Director, Gandhi Creations, said:
“IABCA (India Australia Business Community Alliance) is thrilled to collaborate with its Education Partner, Deakin University for the inaugural Deakin x IABCA Leadership Series 2024. This industry engagement is an exciting series that sets the tone for our partnership in harnessing people centric knowledge and development. As IABCA celebrates a decade in 2024, we are pleased to announce our Immersion Week in collaboration with Deakin in Australia from 12 – 16 August 2024 with the awards ceremony taking place at the Australian Parliament on 15th August, Indian Independence Day. I am convinced that IABCA’s sustained engagement with Deakin will continue to enhance industry engagement and the bilateral relationship between our two nations and this launch has indeed set the stage for a series of strategic dialogues and partnerships for shared progress.
The Deakin x IABCA Leadership Series will comprise of 3 roundtables/ In-conversation and Ted-X styles series of events with key leaders across the Australia India corridor and take place quarterly in India and Australia. The Leadership Series will provide a strong platform for strengthening business-to-business ties.
