The three-day International Conference on Sustainability through Fundamental and Applied Sciences (STFAS–2026) at Hindu College, University of Delhi, was marked by insightful panel discussions, interdisciplinary deliberations, and a valedictory session, bringing together eminent academicians, industry leaders, and policy experts.A significant highlight of the final day was the panel discussion on “Fourth Year Undergraduate Programme – Early Experiences, Challenges and Way Forward.” The session brought together leading academic administrators, including Prof. K. Ratnabali, Dean (Academic Affairs), University of Delhi; Prof. Bijayalakshmi, Principal, Miranda House; Prof. Ajay Arora, Principal, Ramjas College; Prof. Rama, Principal, Hansraj College; Prof. Simrit Kaur, Principal, Shri Ram College of Commerce; and Prof. Anju Srivastava, Principal, Hindu College. Curated by Prof. Shalini Suryanarayan, Director, IQAC, Hindu College, the discussion offered valuable insights into the implementation of the fourth-year undergraduate programme, highlighting its early experiences, emerging challenges, and the roadmap for strengthening academic structures to enhance student learning outcomes. Prof. Anju Srivastava, Principal of Hindu College, emphasised that such dialogues are crucial for refining higher education frameworks in alignment with evolving academic and societal needs. She noted that the collective experiences shared by institutional leaders would significantly contribute to shaping a more robust and student-centric undergraduate system.
Prof. Anju Srivastava, Principal of Hindu College (Pics: Hindu College)
Another engaging panel discussion on “Bridging the Skill Gap: Universities on the Road of Preparing Industry-Ready Graduates” explored the dynamic interface between academia and industry. The session featured distinguished speakers including Prof. Anjan Ray, Investment Partner at Navam Capital and former Director, CSIR–Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun; Dr. Mukul Das, Director, Shriram Institute, Delhi; Dr. S. S. V. Ramakumar, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President, AM Green, Noida; Dr. Prashant Singh, CEO, Odisha Hydrogen Valley Foundation, IIT Bhubaneswar; Dr. Rimika Kapoor, Founder, Green Loop Clean Technologies, Delhi; Dr. Suraj Tandon, Head (ESG), EverEnviro Resource Management Pvt. Ltd., Gurugram; Dr. S. K. Bose, CEO, Hydrocarbon Sector Skill Council, Noida; Prof. Reena Jain, Vice Principal, Hindu College; and Prof. Rajdeep Singh Rawat, Head, Natural Sciences and Science Education, NIE, NTU, Singapore. The panel underscored the importance of skill development, industry collaborations, and innovation-driven education in preparing graduates for the rapidly evolving global workforce.The day also featured an intellectually stimulating lecture titled “Plasma Nanotechnology: A Novel, Sustainable and Green Synthesis and Processing Tool for High-Performance Energy Storage and Conversion Electrode Materials,” which highlighted cutting-edge advancements in sustainable materials science and energy technologies, aligning with the core theme of the conference.The conference concluded with a valedictory ceremony addressed by Prof. Rajeev Gupta, Head, Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi. In his address, he lauded the conference for fostering meaningful academic exchange and emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary research and sustainable innovation in addressing global challenges. During the valedictory session, 17 participants were honoured with awards, along with cash prizes, for their outstanding oral and paper presentations. The three-day international conference witnessed the enthusiastic participation of over 300 delegates from diverse academic and research institutions, making STFAS–2026 a resounding success.
