25 February 2026, Mumbai: Mumbai will witness one of the most consequential gatherings of education leaders as ETEducation, by The Economic Times, hosts the TechEDU India Summit 2026 on 26 February at NESCO, Mumbai, under the compelling theme, “Building the World’s Most Tech-Enabled Education Economy.” At a time when artificial intelligence, globalisation and evolving workforce expectations are reshaping institutions at unprecedented speed, the summit will convene policymakers, higher education leaders, school leaders, founders, industry experts and global education partners to deliberate on the pathways that will define the next decade of Indian education.
Visionary inaugural with policy and institutional leadership
The inaugural session will open with a welcome address by Yasmin Taj, Editor – ETEducation & ETHRWorld, The Economic Times, followed by keynote addresses from distinguished leaders including Praveen Pardeshi, Chief Economic Advisor to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra and CEO, Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (NITI for Maharashtra); Dr Rajul K Gajjar, Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Technological University; Prof Shireesh Kedare, Director of IIT Bombay; Chris Bradshaw, Chief Education and Sustainability Officer at Bentley Systems; Mayur Zanwar, Co-Founder of Truscholar; and Ranjita Raman, CEO of Jaro Education. The inaugural session will witness a special segment – The launch of the Future Ready Campus Journal, curated by ETEducation and Truscholar, that will further reinforce the summit’s commitment to thought leadership and institutional transformation.
Critical higher education sessions: Framing the future pathways
The summit’s higher education track will centre on critical, forward-looking themes that are expected to influence institutional strategies across the country. The panel titled “Why Leading Global Universities Are Investing in India’s Education Ecosystem: Academic Integrity, AI, Skills, and the Road Ahead” will examine India’s global positioning, regulatory reform and the safeguarding of academic integrity in an AI-driven era. The discussion will feature eminent leaders such as Dr Shankar S Mantha, former Chairman of AICTE & Chancellor, RB University Nagpur; Prof Rajita Kulkarni, President of Sri Sri University; and Dr Swati Mujumdar, Pro Chancellor of Symbiosis Skills and Professional University; Dr Vishwajeet Kadam, Secretary and Pro-Vice Chancellor, Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune, alongside senior voices from academia and industry.Another Mega panel on the topic – Beyond Academics: How India’s Universities are Competing on Campus Life and Student Experience will witness Prof Manoj K Tiwari, Director, IIM Mumbai; Prof Tarundeep Singh Anand, Founder & Chancellor, Universal AI University, Mumbai and other pertinent leaders from industry and academia.
Equally pivotal will be “AI on Campus: Are Institutions Ready for Adoption Beyond Pilot Projects?”, where leaders, including Prof Ravindra Kulkarni, Vice Chancellor of the University of Mumbai, and Siddharth Shahani, Co-Founder and Executive President of ATLAS SkillTech University, will deliberate on governance models, faculty preparedness, and large-scale digital transformation.
The provocative session “Degrees or Demonstrable Skills: What Really Opens Doors in 2026?” will confront the employability debate head-on, questioning whether traditional credentials or measurable competencies will define student success. Meanwhile, “Trust in the Age of Tech: Who Safeguards Quality, Ethics, and Accountability?” will explore institutional credibility, data ethics and regulatory oversight in a rapidly digitising environment, with participation from Prof Rajanish Kamat and other senior academic leaders. Collectively, these panels are designed to offer strategic clarity and future pathways for university leadership navigating complexity and disruption.
Strategic fireside conversations: Leadership in a digital age
The summit will also feature high-impact fireside chats aimed at offering deeper reflections on leadership and innovation. “From MBA to IPO: Can Campuses Become the Next Startup Launchpads?” will explore the evolving role of higher education institutions as entrepreneurial ecosystems and engines of economic growth. Later in the day, “Beyond the Badge: Leadership, Learning & Life in a Digital World” will see Brijesh Singh, Principal Secretary of Information and Public Relations, Government of Maharashtra, share perspectives on governance, public communication and leadership accountability in the digital era. These conversations are expected to inspire institutional heads to rethink their role beyond administration, towards nation-building and societal impact.
School education track: Ethics, visibility and real- world Learning
The school education segment will mirror the summit’s intensity, beginning with the presence of Ranjit Singh Deol, Principal Secretary, School Education & Sports Department, Government of Maharashtra, and Aruna Prem Bhalla, former Deputy Commissioner of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. The panel “Digital Presence of Schools: Visibility, Vulnerability and Responsibility” will address branding, cyber risk and stakeholder trust, while “Raising AI-Aware Students: Where Do Schools Draw the Ethical Line?” will examine how institutions can cultivate AI literacy without compromising critical thinking or moral responsibility. Contributions from respected school leaders such as Francis Joseph, CEO of GEMS Education India, and Avnita Bir, Director Principal of RN Podar School, will enrich discussions around interdisciplinary learning and real-world problem solving. Alongside, a lot of other senior leaders from school education ecosystem will join the summit to enlighten us with their visionary thoughts.
Special Guest and the TechEdu Awards Gala
The summit will culminate in the prestigious ETEducation TechEdu Awards Gala Ceremony, recognising institutions, educators and innovators who are redefining excellence in a tech-enabled ecosystem. The evening will be graced by Special Guest Amruta Fadnavis, Banker, Artist and Social Activist, who will headline the fireside chat “The Power of Becoming: Education, Identity, and Impact.” She will also present the TechEdu Awards alongside distinguished jury members and senior leaders, celebrating transformative initiatives that are shaping the future of both higher and school education in India.
As India stands at the doors of ample global collaboration opportunities and digital acceleration, TechEDU India Summit 2026 is poised to become a strategic forum where policy meets practice, where ethics meets innovation, and where leaders collectively define the future architecture of the nation’s education economy. See you all on 26th February at NESCO Mumbai to fill our day with endless insights and limitless opportunities to collaborate and grow.
