Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (TIET) hosted the inaugural Dean Students’ Conclave—Conversations That Connect, a national forum that brought together academic leaders, student affairs experts, and mental health professionals to examine the evolving landscape of student life in higher education.
The Conclave positioned student well-being, engagement, and global readiness at the center of institutional strategy. Speakers reflected on how higher education must adapt to globalization, digital transformation, and shifting expectations of Gen Z and Gen Alpha learners.
Panel discussions highlighted key priorities, including strengthening emotional well-being, evolving hostel ecosystems into inclusive living-learning spaces, enhancing global exposure and intercultural competencies, integrating AI and hybrid learning models into student affairs, and reinforcing the importance of empathetic faculty–student relationships as the foundation of a transformative campus culture.
Participants exchanged best practices and data-driven models for leadership reflections, improving student engagement, and embedding well-being into campus life. Discussions emphasized the need for compassionate, future-ready support systems and cross-institutional cooperation.
The two-day event welcomed representatives from IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Ropar, IIIT Delhi, Delhi Technological University, Ashoka University, NSUT, ISB Mohali, Shiv Nadar University, Panjab University, BITS campuses, Punjabi University, GMCH Sec-32 Chandigarh, Manipal Hospital, Artemis Hospital Gurgaon, and the National Centre for Good Governance, among others. The Conclave was inaugurated under the leadership of Prof. Padmakumar Nair, Vice Chancellor, and formally opened by senior academic leaders from TIET and Ashoka University.
Organised alongside the 50th anniversary of the annual techno-cultural fest Saturnalia, the Conclave reaffirmed TIET’s commitment to fostering holistic, student-centric campuses.
