Jaipur | 5 January 2026
Vivekananda Global University (VGU), Jaipur hosted an exclusive US–India Educators’ Roundtable as part of the prestigious TiE Global Summit. The event brought together 34 eminent delegates from the United States and various Indian states for a high-impact dialogue on entrepreneurial education, mentorship, and institutional innovation. The roundtable served as a dynamic platform to exchange ideas, share best practices, and explore future-ready models of education.
Participation from Leading Institutions and Organizations
The roundtable witnessed participation from representatives of prominent academic institutions and ecosystem builders, including:
- Amity University Punjab
- Swami Keshvanand Institute of Technology & Management
- Gramothan
- Jagrati Yatra
- Kanoria College Jaipur
- IIS Jaipur
- Houston Community College
- Walnut Schools
- TiE Tampa
- TiE Atlanta
The presence of such diverse institutions reflected the global and collaborative spirit of the summit.
Warm Welcome and Opening Address
All delegates were warmly welcomed and felicitated by Prof. N. D. Mathur, President, VGU. In his address, he emphasized the importance of global academic collaboration in building agile, entrepreneurial, and socially responsible institutions capable of responding to rapidly changing global challenges.
Dynamic and Engaging Roundtable Format
The session was chaired by Dr. Paul Lopez from TiE Atlanta, who transformed the discussion into a highly interactive team-building and deep-learning experience rather than a conventional panel discussion. He ensured that every participant actively engaged in peer networking, cross-learning, and reflective dialogue. The central objective was clear: each delegate should leave with at least one best practice that could be meaningfully implemented within their own institution.
A unique highlight of the roundtable was the “Superpower Exchange” activity. During this segment, delegates identified their institutional or personal strengths and collectively explored how these strengths could be converted into scalable and impactful best practices across regions and countries.
Key Themes and Discussions
The deliberations extended beyond traditional entrepreneurship and covered forward-looking concepts such as:
- Regenerative economics
- Purpose-driven startups
- Educators as ecosystem enablers
- Strengthening mentorship frameworks
- Building startup culture within academic institutions
Entrepreneurial education and structured mentorship systems emerged as the central themes of the session, reinforcing the global efforts of TiE Global to empower educators and institutions.
VGU’s Credit-Based Hackathon/Ideathon Model
One of the standout models presented during the roundtable was VGU’s credit-based Hackathon/Ideathon framework. Under this innovative approach:
- Students identify real societal problems.
- They ideate practical solutions as part of their academic curriculum.
- Startup development is integrated into coursework.
- The university facilitates access to mentors and investors.
This initiative aligns with the vision of Er. Onkar Bagaria, CEO, VGU, whose mission is to create job providers rather than job seekers by embedding entrepreneurship deeply within higher education.
Contributions from University Leadership
The session was further enriched by insightful contributions from Prof. D. V. S. Bhangavanulu, Pro-President, VGU, and Ms. Malvika Dudi Bagaria, Director, Faculty of Management, VGU. They emphasized the need for structured mentorship, strong industry integration, and values-driven innovation within academic ecosystems.
Conclusion
The US–India Educators’ Roundtable at VGU emerged as a power-packed confluence of ideas, experiences, and actionable strategies. It reinforced the evolving role of universities as incubators of innovation, entrepreneurship, and societal transformation. By fostering international collaboration and sharing scalable best practices, the event set a strong blueprint for the future of entrepreneurial education in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
