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June 30, 2019
The Department of Higher Education of India's Ministry for Human Resource Development has released the Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP).
Photo: India’s Minister for Human Resource Development, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal’ Nishank’, chairing a meeting with the Directors of all IITs and IIITs, in New Delhi on June 14, 2019. Secretary, Department of Higher Education, R. Subrahmanyam, is on his left.
New Delhi, June 28, 2019 — Following the decision of the Prime Minister for finalizing a five-year vision plan for each Ministry, the Department of Higher Education of HRD Ministry has released a five-year vision plan named Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP). The experts have prepared EQUIP covering the following ten areas:
Group Number. Group Focus — Chairperson
- Strategies for expanding access — Hasmukh Adhia, Chancellor, Central University Gujarat
- Improving teaching/learning process — Dr. K. Kasturirangan, Chancellor, Central University of Rajasthan & former Secretary, Dept of Space; former Chairman - ISRO
- Promoting Excellence — Pawan Goenka, Chairman, BoG, IIT Madras
- Governance reforms — Prof M S Ananth, Chairman, National Testing Agency (NTA)
- Assessment, Accreditation & Ranking systems — Prof Surendra Prasad, former Director, IIT Delhi
- Promotion of research & innovation — Dr. Vijaya Raghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser to PM
- Employability & entrepreneurship — Ajit Balakrishnan, former Chairman, IIM Kolkata
- Using Technology for better reach — Prof Deepak Pathak, Chairman, NIT Goa & Prof IIT Bombay
- Internationalization — Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog
- Financing higher education — Kris Gopalakrishnan, former CEO, Infosys.
The ten Expert Groups, which consist of senior academicians, administrators, and industrialists, have suggested more than 50 initiatives that would transform the higher education sector completely. Groups have set the following goals for the higher education sector:
- Double the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education and resolve the geographically and socially skewed access to higher education institutions in India:
- Upgrade the quality of education to world standards
- Position at least 50 Indian institutions among the top-1000 global universities
- Introduce governance reforms in higher education for well-administered campuses
- Accreditation of all institutions as an assurance of quality
- Promote Research & Innovation ecosystems for positioning India in the Top-3 countries in the world in matters of knowledge creation
- Double the employability of the students passing out of higher education
- Harness education technology for expanding the reach and improving pedagogy
- Promote India as a global study destination
- Achieve a quantum increase in investment in higher education
For each initiative, the Groups have recommended modalities for implementation, investments, and timelines. The proposal would now be taken for inter-departmental consultations before being taken to Cabinet for approval.
Source: Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India
|GlobalGiants.Com|







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:07 PM | View the original post
June 29, 2019
A Pioneering Student Team from the Netherlands wins UNESCO - Airbus "Fly Your Ideas" Global Competition.
Photo: Fly Your Ideas 2019 Winner Team, Zero Hero, from the Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands. Image provided by & copyright © AIRBUS.
Photo: Airbus A330neo - a highly-innovative aircraft that delivers superior quality and efficiency - takes to the skies above Le Bourget Airport for a Paris Air Show flying display. Image provided by & copyright © AIRBUS.
Photo: Airbus H175 static display ambiance at Paris Airshow 2019. Showcased at the 2019 Paris Air Show, the H175, a performance record-setter with a time-to-climb 6,000 meters in 6 minutes 54 seconds. Image provided by & copyright © AIRBUS.
Paris, 28 June 2019 — Team “Zero” Heroes from the Delft University of Technology, (the Netherlands) has won the top prize of 25,000 euros of the 2019 Airbus Fly Your Ideas global student competition organized by Airbus in partnership with UNESCO. In recognition of their easy to use battery-less wireless smart switch application to replace traditional wired systems in aircraft.
Team “Zero” Heroes got selected from among 269 projects and a subsequent shortlist of seven. The biennial competition is a celebration of creativity, designed to inspire young people to get involved in sustainable innovation and engineering.
All seven finalist teams spent the last week of the competition in Toulouse, France, prototyping their idea in Airbus’ cutting-edge Innovation and R&D facilities with support from dedicated Airbus mentors and experts using state-of-the-art equipment. On 27 June, the teams presented their projects to a panel of aerospace and academic experts, and the general public through live streaming.
The jury of aerospace and academic experts from Airbus and the International Space University (Strasbourg, France) was impressed by the innovative spirit and economic understanding of the students of the “Zero” Heroes Team. Their development of wireless systems solves the main limitation of using the Internet of Things (IoT) in aircraft by removing battery integration, current safety, and regulatory challenge. Their innovation furthermore reduces fuel consumption and weight while simplifying aircraft retrofit and maintenance needs.
The runners up, Team Airfish from the University of Cambridge (UK), also presented a persuasive project with their ocean monitoring system using a satellite and video imaging technology. Their development can help governments combat illegal fishing, reduce the bycatch of endangered species, and generally decrease damage to the marine habitat.
Airbus Fly Your Ideas is a global competition challenging students to innovate for the future of aerospace in six key areas: Electrification, Data Services, Cyber Security, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, and Mixed Reality.
Since its launch by Airbus in 2008, and the signing of a partnership agreement with UNESCO in 2012, over 22,000 students from over 700 universities in 100 countries worldwide have registered for Fly Your Ideas.
This year’s finalist teams represent 11 countries and eight different universities from Asia, Europe, and South America.
The winning team received a prize of €25,000 and €10,000 were awarded to the runner-up project. The remaining finalists shared an additional €10,000.
Source: UNESCO
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Can wireless technologies improve safety on a plane?
— UNESCO (@UNESCO) June 27, 2019
'Fly Your Ideas' finalist Team Zero Heroes, @TUDelft, thinks so! Their idea integrates wireless technology in aircrafts: it saves weight, fuel & improves security!
Join LIVE the #FlyYourIdeas final ⏯️ https://t.co/EAW7SlXuDD pic.twitter.com/d7taGWF7jn







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:30 AM | View the original post
June 28, 2019
G20 Osaka Summit Family Photograph
Photo: The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, in a family photograph with other Leaders of the G-20 Nations, in Osaka, Japan on June 28, 2019. The 2019 G20 Osaka summit is the fourteenth meeting of the Group of Twenty (G20).
Photo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the special session on Women’s Empowerment, in Osaka, Japan on June 29, 2019.
Photo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting the German Chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel, on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, in Osaka, Japan on June 28, 2019.
|GlobalGiants.Com|







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:49 PM | View the original post
June 27, 2019
Mastercard introduces 'Mastercard City Key' platform at the United States Conference of Mayors.
Photo: The Hapalua - Hawaii’s Half Marathon, in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Cory Lum/Getty Images for The Hapalua - Hawaii’s Half Marathon). Copyright © Getty Images. Image provided by The Hapalua - Hawaii’s Half Marathon. [File Photo]
Honolulu, Hawaii - June 26, 2019 - City leaders convene in Honolulu for the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 87th Annual Meeting this week. Here they will experience first-hand how technology can unlock better access to social, economic, and cultural opportunities.
In a new immersive showcase, Mastercard, the City, and County of Honolulu will show how the power of collaboration can create inclusive access to services for city residents. Attendees of the conference will access event venues, local attractions, and transportation options through one single card.
The card, called Mastercard City Key, combines identification, access to city services, and payment functionalities in one tool. It provides residents greater convenience and security while helping the local government find efficiencies in their operations. The platform is a result of City Possible, a global partnership, and co-creation framework pioneered by Mastercard.
“A half-century ago, President John F. Kennedy traveled to O’ahu to speak about civil rights to our nation’s mayors,” said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell. “I can think of no better place and time to discuss how we move our country forward through economic inclusiveness and more resilient communities. As one of the founding members of City Possible, the City and County of Honolulu appreciates Mastercard’s leadership in working toward more inclusive and resilient cities.”
MasterCard will present the platform to 1,500 delegates. Then, the city of San Jose will launch Mastercard City Key, enabling it to deliver critical resources and emergency support to its residents more efficiently. The start of this service in San Jose would also allow the service partners to explore its new uses. It could speed-up the distribution of social benefits and improving access to broadband and other digital services.
“As many cities face similar challenges. They could best tackle that through sharing ideas and resources,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo.
“We are proud to support the City and County of Honolulu in welcoming the nation’s mayors. Honolulu is facilitating this important dialogue,” said Michael Froman, Mastercard vice chairman and president of strategic growth. “At Mastercard, we’re deeply committed to enabling cities to improve quality of life for all their residents - and to help cities around the world learn from places such as Honolulu and San Jose. The challenges are too big to think small - or tackle alone.”
Launched in November 2018, City Possible is a new model for urban collaboration to co-create, test, and scale solutions to address cities’ most pressing issues. Its members include more than 25 global cities representing a diverse mix of geography and size. By bringing together a complementary group of companies with unique strengths and resources, Mastercard is leading the way for a holistic approach to inclusive urban development.
Source: Mastercard
|GlobalGiants.Com|







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:18 AM | View the original post
June 25, 2019
The World's First Smart Life Creator Award presented at University of Oxford
Photo: John Frater, Professor, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, makes a point during the session ‘Ideaslab / Oxford - ‘Reinforcing Critical Systems’ at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Image provided by and copyright © World Economic Forum / Monika Flueckiger. [File Photo]
Photo: Aoife Bennett, DPhil Candidate, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, during the Session “Future-Proofing the Planet” at the World Economic Forum, Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils. Image provided by and copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell. [File Photo]
Oxford, England — SEED AWARD 2019 - the world’s first creativity award, kicked off its global convening tour’s first leg at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, inviting “those who have a passion of life and are willing to embrace innovative ideas.”
An excellent research team with Oxford alumni showcased at the event their invention of Routemaster systems, a novel combination of deep learning technology and air balloons to observe and predict traffic flows in the often jammed streets of Lagos, Nigeria, to help the city move faster.
Defined as “the world’s first creativity award that highlights the integration of technologies and everyday life,” SEED AWARD, sponsored by Guangzhou-based real estate Seedland Group, aims to encourage the innovative application of technology in everyday life.
SEED AWARD features a grand cash prize of RMB 1 million, three Prizes for Excellence and 30 Talent Awards. It is open to all individuals, teams, research institutions, and start-ups, regardless of age, nationality, or background.
“Contestants will benefit from an expert mentoring program with some of the world’s leading scientists and inventors to help them test and bring their creations to fruition,” said Lu Chuyang, CEO of Fast Company China, business media partner of the award.
Dr. Dov Moran, the inventor of the USB Flash Drive and Eric Frank, a founding member of Uber AI Labs, among other leading figures, are judges for the awarding committee.
Technological innovation is vital for humankind to live a better, more sustainable life, opined Dr. Carl Benedikt Frey, co-director of the Oxford Martin Program on Technology and Employment and Economics Associate of Nuffield College, University of Oxford.
During his presentation titled “Technology for a better life” at the event, Dr. Frey walked the 100-strong audience through his research on the transformation of industrial nations to digital economies, and subsequent challenges for economic growth, labor markets, and urban development.
Shimon Whiteson, professor of Computer Science at the University of Oxford and Chief Scientist and co-founder of Latent Logic Ltd., demonstrated how to design algorithms for computational systems to acquire and execute intelligent behavior, learn from experience and reason about their goals and deduce behavioral strategies to maximize their utility.
SEED AWARD tour will also stop at Peking University, China and Stanford University, the United States before the award selection enters its next stage.
According to the organizers, SEED AWARD 2019 will organize its semifinals in North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe as a further step in helping creators to bring their ideas to life.
|GlobalGiants.Com|







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:12 AM | View the original post
June 24, 2019
The IOC, The Coca-Cola Company and China Mengniu Dairy Company Ltd announce Joint Worldwide Olympic Partnership to 2032
Lausanne, Switzerland, 24 June 2019 — The International Olympic Committee (IOC), The Coca-Cola Company and China Mengniu Dairy Company Ltd today announced that they have signed the first-ever Joint TOP Partnership Agreement. The partnership combines the non-alcoholic beverage and the dairy categories into a new joint group and brings Chinese dairy company Mengniu into the family of Worldwide TOP Partners.
TOP stands for The Olympic Partners Programme. Created in 1985, the TOP Programme, managed by the IOC, is the only sponsorship with the exclusive worldwide marketing rights to both Winter and Summer Games.
The new joint agreement has a 12-year term running through to the Olympic Games 2032. The deal includes unprecedented investment in traditional and digital media to promote the Olympic values globally.
This agreement extends The Coca-Cola Company’s association with the Olympic Movement to a historic 104-year-long relationship. The Coca-Cola Company is the longest continuous partner of the Olympic Games.
Mengniu becomes the first Chinese fast-moving consumer goods company to become a TOP Partner. The Joint TOP partnership supports Mengniu’s ambitious international growth plans, with the company aiming to become one of the top dairy producers in the world by 2025.
IOC President Thomas Bach said: “This long-term agreement is another demonstration of the relevance and stability of the Olympic Games in these times of uncertainty. Having our longest-standing partner, Coca-Cola, an iconic American brand, together with a young Chinese company, Mengniu, joining hands under the roof of our Worldwide TOP Programme is an excellent example of the unifying power of the Olympic spirit. This partnership will give another dimension to the promotion of the Olympic values around the world.”
James Quincey, Chairman, and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company said: “We are honored and privileged to be a part of the Olympic Movement that makes it possible for athletes from all over the world to come together to represent their nations, pursue their dreams and be a part of history. A lot has changed since we sold the first Coca-Cola at an Olympic event in 1928. With a fresh approach to our business and our sponsorship, we are proud to join with Mengniu to promote and celebrate future Olympic Games.”
Jeffrey Lu, the CEO and Executive Director of Mengniu, said: “Membership of the TOP Programme will act as a catalyst for Mengniu to grow around the world. Joining the program is a vital step in our international strategy, and we are honored to have the opportunity to build a positive reputation for Chinese food and beverage brands among consumers globally. As a Worldwide TOP Partner, we look forward to using the unique platform of the Olympic Games to promote health and joy to Olympians and fans alike.”
Worldwide Olympic Partners support every National Olympic Committee and their teams, and every Organiser of the Olympic Games, as well as providing support for athletes’ training and development. Also, they promote the ideals and values of the Olympic Movement and help create memorable experiences for spectators and fans around the world.
The Coca-Cola Company has had a presence at the Olympic Games since the 1928 Games in Amsterdam. With its current agreement with the IOC ending in 2020, The Coca-Cola Company will now continue its partnership with this new Joint TOP agreement through to the Olympic Winter Games 2022 in Beijing, the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, the Olympic Winter Games 2026, the Olympic Games 2028 in Los Angeles, and the Olympic Games 2030 and 2032.
Yong Zhang, Vice-President of Strategy at Mengniu, added: “The Olympic Movement and Mengniu are naturally aligned. We both aim to bring health and joy to people, and Mengniu’s brand advocates ‘Born for Greatness’ - another natural fit with the Olympic values. Mengniu reaches hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide and will encourage more people to follow and participate in the Olympic Movement, while also contributing ‘China’s strength’ to the global development of the Olympic cause and successful hosting of future Olympic Games.”
Source: International Olympic Committee
|GlobalGiants.Com|
The IOC, The Coca-Cola Company and China Mengniu Dairy Company Ltd announce Joint Worldwide Olympic Partnership to 2032 @CocaCola #Mengniu pic.twitter.com/OrJErrGpOv
— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) June 24, 2019
The Coca-Cola Company has been supporting Olympic dreams since 1928, longer than any other corporate partner. @BeaperezBea pic.twitter.com/0bLdHYLoFy
— The Coca-Cola Co. (@CocaColaCo) June 24, 2019







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:59 AM | View the original post
June 23, 2019
UNESCO Creative Cities Mayors discuss "The Ideal City."
Photo: A busy street in Rome, Italy. At the end of the road is the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, built during the time of Pope Sixtus III (432-440 AD). Image Credit: SS Alonso. Rome is a ‘UNESCO Creative City of Film.’
Photo: Deutsche Bahn AG headquarters, Berlín, Germany. Image Credit: Pablo G. Pando. Berlin is a ‘UNESCO Creative City of Design.’
Fabriano, Italy, 21 June 2019 — From 10 to 15 June 2019, in Fabriano, Italy, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network XIII Annual Conference gathered 50 Mayors among 480 participates from some 145 cities worldwide.
Committed to achieving the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, through culture-oriented policies, the Mayors exchanged ideas on the theme of “The Ideal City,” and shared examples of how their cities are addressing community needs by building on culture and creativity to develop innovative and inclusive urban strategies.
Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy, Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, Gabriele Santarelli, Mayor of Fabriano, and Maria Francesca Merloni, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Creative Cities, who opened the Conference on 12 June, emphasized culture’s capacity to connect peoples and communities, to foster dialogue and to bring about positive social, economic and environmental change. “Culture goes beyond all boundaries,” said President Mattarella.
• The cross-cutting power of culture for sustainable development:
Participants explored prospects for the future of their cities by focusing on the role of culture across development areas including education, inclusiveness, environment and economic growth.
City Planners and Mayors are investing significantly in culture to make their cities better and sustainable. As new practices evolve, Creative Cities are emerging as hubs of experimentation that lead to innovative and successful models of sustainable development —
- Cities of Literature are ensuring freedom of expression and literacy for all while fostering multilingual environments.
- Cities of Gastronomy are paving the way towards responsible production and consumption patterns.
- Cities of Film and Music provide spaces for promoting human rights, equality, and solidarity.
- Cities of Design rethink housing, public spaces, access, and mobility, and also stimulate social innovation and global citizenship.
- Cities of Crafts and Folk Art foster the diversity of cultural expressions and heritage while ensuring intergenerational dialogue and the safeguarding of community practices.
- Cities of Media Arts promote contemporary urban narratives and space for artistic expression with new technologies.
• LAB.2030 - Generating innovative ideas
The Conference provided an opportunity to share the first publication of the UCCN LAB.2030 Initiative, entitled “Voices of the City: UNESCO Creative Cities moving towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The book demonstrates diverse ways in which the Creative Cities embrace culture in their local policies.
For example, a strategy on transitioning from an industrial to a forward-thinking city is used in Saint-Étienne (France) to explore new paths towards economic development, including innovative solutions for vacant infrastructures. In Santos (Brazil), a Creative Ecofactory has been established to stimulate skills development and boost employability for people from marginalized communities. Other examples include Cairo (Egypt), where new ways of connecting heritage to local economies are emerging, and Sydney (Australia), whose local government is committed to countering gender bias and where the number of female writers has increased in three years from 32% in 2015 to 53% in 2018.
There are currently 180 Creative Cities in 72 countries. While differing geographically, demographically or economically, they are all committed to develop and exchange innovative best practices to promote creative industries, strengthen participation in cultural life, and integrate culture into sustainable urban development policies.
The Annual Conference in 2020 will focus on the theme of “Creativity, Path to Equality.” City of Santos (Brazil) will host it.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
It's here! The #BristolCityofFilm official website launches today 🎉. Everything you need to know about #Bristol's vibrant, world-class moving image sector & how the prestigious #UNESCO status benefits the city & connects us to the rest of the world https://t.co/XgjvBV6WJm pic.twitter.com/RyrCneaLDS
— Bristol UNESCO City of Film (@BristolFilmCity) June 26, 2019







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:24 AM | View the original post
June 19, 2019
QS World University Rankings 2020 Announced
Photo: A building at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Image Credit: Shih-Pei Chang.
Photo: Ngaire Woods, Dean, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Meta-Council on the New Architecture of Governance at the World Economic Forum Summit. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell. [File Photo]
LONDON, June 18, 2019 — The sixteenth edition of the QS World University Rankings was released today by global higher education analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the world’s best university for the eighth consecutive year.
QS says it ranked 1000 universities from 82 different locations, surveyed 94,000 academics and 44,000 hiring managers and analyzed 11.8 million research papers and 100 million citations. QS measures universities on academic standing, employed graduates, student/staff ratio, research impact, and international outlook.
• Key Facts
- The University of Cambridge hits its lowest-ever position (7th). The UK records its third-worst performance ever, but the University of Oxford rises to 4th;
- International student ratios at UK and US universities have consistently fallen;
- ETH Zurich (6th), the Continental European top university, achieves its highest position ever, overtaking the University of Cambridge;
- Asia’s top two universities are the National University of Singapore and its compatriot Nanyang Technological University (both joint-11th);
- 24 of Australia’s 35 universities rise;
- China now has 19 of the world’s top 200 research universities; it had 12 in 2016;
- Of the 302 universities from the US, UK, Australia, and Canada, 216 have recorded worse Faculty/Student Ratio performance, QS’s measure of institutional teaching capacity;
- Latin America’s top university is the Universidad de Buenos Aires (74th) for the fifth consecutive year. Brazilian and Argentinian universities are losing employer confidence in their graduates;
- The Middle East has two top-200 universities for the first time. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdul Aziz University (186th) is the new regional leader.
QS World University Rankings 2020: Global Top-30
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology — United States
- Stanford University — United States
- Harvard University — United States
- University of Oxford — United Kingdom
- California Institute of Technology — United States
- ETH Zurich — Switzerland
- University of Cambridge — United Kingdom
- University College London — United Kingdom
- Imperial College London — United Kingdom
- University of Chicago — United States
- Nanyang Technological University — Singapore
- National University of Singapore — Singapore
- Princeton University — United States
- Cornell University — United States
- University of Pennsylvania —United States
- Tsinghua University — China
- Yale University — United States
- Columbia University — United States
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne — Switzerland
- University of Edinburgh — United Kingdom
- University of Michigan — United States
- Peking University — China
- The University of Tokyo — Japan
- Johns Hopkins University — United States
- Duke University — United States
- The University of Hong Kong — Hong Kong
- The University of Manchester —United Kingdom
- University of California, Berkeley — United States
- The Australian National University — Australia
- University of Toronto — Canada
INSTITUTIONS FROM INDIA
QS RANK — UNIVERSITY
- 152 — Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB)
- 182 — Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD)
- 184 — Indian Institute of Science
- =271 — Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)
- =281 — Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP)
- =291 — Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK)
- =383 — Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR)
- =474 — University of Delhi
- =491 — Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG)
- 651-700 — Jadavpur University
- 701-750 — Manipal Academy of Higher Education
- 751-800 — Anna University
- 751-800 — Jamia Millia Islamia
- 751-800 — O.P. Jindal Global University
- 801-1000 — Aligarh Muslim University
- 801-1000 — Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Amrita University)
- 801-1000 — Banaras Hindu University
- 801-1000 — Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani
- 801-1000 — Savitribai Phule Pune University
- 801-1000 — Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology
- 801-1000 — University of Calcutta
- 801-1000 — University of Mumbai
- 801-1000 — Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT)
India has 23 universities in the just-announced QS World University Rankings. IIT Bombay (152), IIT Delhi (182), and IISc Bangalore (184) are in the Global Top 200.
The Vice-Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), Prof. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar and the Dean of Jindal School of Banking & Finance, Prof. (Dr.) Ashish Bharadwaj met with India’s Minister of Human Resource Development, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.
Vice-Chancellor Professor C. Raj Kumar presented the minister with the QS Certificate of Achievement awarded to JGU for being ranked between 751-800 globally. JGU is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.
Dr. ‘Nishank’ congratulated JGU for breaking into QS World University Rankings 2020 for the first time.
QS evaluates the universities according to the following six metrics:
- Academic Reputation (40%)
- Employer Reputation (10%)
- Faculty/Student Ratio (20%)
- Citations per Faculty (20%)
- International Faculty Ratio (5%)
- International Student Ratio (5%)
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Harvard University counts 62 living billionaires among its former students.
— World Economic Forum (@wef) July 7, 2019
📕 Read more: https://t.co/rQwG15G1Vk #university #education pic.twitter.com/c8sHbdHLbY







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:52 AM | View the original post
June 18, 2019
United Nations and the World Economic Forum Sign Strategic Partnership Framework
Photo: Borge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum, signs the Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and the World Economic Forum on the Strategic Partnership Framework for the 2030 Agenda. 13 June 2019. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Manuel Elias.
Photo: Preparing for a live reporting from the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, 22 January 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Valeriano Di Domenico. [File Photo]
Photo: Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil, speaking at the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, 22 January 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Walter Duerst. [File Photo]
Photo: Hanzade Dogan Boyner, Chairwoman, Hepsiburada, Turkey, speaking at the Annual Meeting 2019 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, 22 January 2019. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / Christian Clavadetscher. [File Photo]
New York, USA, 18 June 2019 - The World Economic Forum and the United Nations have just signed a Strategic Partnership Framework outlining areas of cooperation to deepen institutional engagement and jointly accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Framework was drafted based on a mapping of the existing collaboration between the two institutions. It would enable a more strategic and coordinated approach towards delivering impact.
The UN-Forum Partnership was signed in a meeting held at United Nations headquarters between UN Secretary-General António Guterres and World Economic Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab.
“Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals is essential for the future of humanity. The World Economic Forum is committed to supporting this effort, and working with the United Nations to build a more prosperous and equitable future,” said Schwab.
“The new Strategic Partnership Framework between the United Nations and the World Economic Forum has great potential to advance our efforts on critical global challenges and opportunities, from climate change, health and education to gender equality, digital cooperation and financing for sustainable development. Rooted in UN norms and values, the Framework underscores the invaluable role of the private sector in this work - and points the way toward action to generate shared prosperity on a healthy planet while leaving no one behind,” said Guterres.
The Strategic Partnership Framework will focus on the following areas:
• Financing the 2030 Agenda - Mobilize systems and accelerate finance flows toward the 2030 Agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, taking forward solutions to increase long-term SDG investments.
• Climate Change - Achieve clear, measurable, and public commitments from the private sector to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Help create public-private platforms in critical high-emitting areas and scale up the services required to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
• Health - Support countries achieve good health and well-being for all, within the context of the 2030 Agenda, focusing on significant emerging global health threats that require stronger multistakeholder partnership and action.
• Digital Cooperation - Meet the needs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution while seeking to advance global analysis, dialogue, and standards for digital governance and digital inclusiveness.
• Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women - Foster partnerships and coalitions at all levels for full participation and equal opportunities of women . Promote equal pay to women for work of fair value across sectors and occupations as well as within them.
• Education and Skills - Promote public-private partnerships to address global reskilling and lifelong learning for the future requirements for work, and empower youth with competencies for life and decent work.
The leadership across the United Nations will engage in and utilize the different platforms provided by the World Economic Forum to advance impact in the above areas. Both institutions will annually review the partnership to streamline collaboration further, take stock of results, and identify additional areas to invest in efforts jointly.
Source: World Economic Forum
|GlobalGiants.Com|







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:51 PM | View the original post
June 12, 2019
The 2019 Call for Applications of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network is Still Open.
Cities worldwide can submit their application until 30 June.
Photo: Detroit, Michigan, USA. Image Credit: Corey Seeman. Detroit is a ‘UNESCO Creative City of Design.’
Photo: Opera House, Sydney, Australia. Image Credit: Noam Lovinsky. Sydney, Australia, is a ‘UNESCO Creative City of Film.’
Created in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) fosters international co-operation within and across cities of the world that have invested in culture and creativity as an accelerator of sustainable development.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network covers seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, and Music.
The Creative Cities Network is composed of cities committed to pooling their resources, their experiences, and knowledge for the common objectives outlined in the Network’s Mission. The member cities actively cooperate at the international level through inter-city partnerships.
Today the network brings together 180 cities from 72 countries from all regions of the world. The UNESCO Creative Cities have a joint mission: placing creativity and cultural industries at the core of their urban development plan to make cities safe, resilient, inclusive and sustainable, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The timetable of the 2019 Call for Applications
- 3 April — Launch of the Call
- 30 June — Deadline for Submission
- 1 - 31 July — Technical Pre-screening
- 1 August - 30 September — External evaluation by independent experts appointed by UNESCO and the UCCN member cities of the same creative field.
- 1 - 31 October — Finalization of the Evaluation Process
- November — UNESCO Creative City Designation announcement by the UNESCO Director-General. UNESCO would announce names of the newly designated Creative Cities in November 2019.
Photo: Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, India. Image Credit: Pranay Rao. Jaipur is a ‘UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art.’
Photo: Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai. Image Credit: Leon Meerson. Mumbai is considering applying for the ‘UNESCO Creative City of Film’ designation.
India has three UNESCO Creative Cities — Jaipur (Crafts and Folk Art), Varanasi (Music), and Chennai (Music).
Mumbai, renowned for the production of Hindi films, is considering applying for the ‘UNESCO Creative City of Film’ designation. This designation would promote its film industry on the global platform and also reinforce the city’s reputation as a hub of heritage, art, and culture.
[Cities with the ‘UNESCO Creative City of Film’ designation include Yamagata, Japan; Terrassa, Spain; Sydney, Australia; Sofia, Bulgaria; Santos, Brazil; Rome, Italy; Qingdao, China; Galway, Ireland; Busan, South Korea; Lodz, Poland; Bristol, United Kingdom; Bradford, United Kingdom; and Bitola, North Macedonia.]
According to reports, several cities from India are in the race to join the prestigious network, and they include Mumbai (Film), Indore (Gastronomy), Chanderi (Crafts and Folk Art), Gwalior (Music), Bhopal (Literature), Srinagar (Crafts and Folk Art), Hyderabad (Crafts and Folk Art), Amritsar (Gastronomy), and Lucknow (Music), among others.
Each application is required to include, among other necessary documents, an official letter of intent signed by the Mayor of the City, as well as a formal letter of support by the National Commission for UNESCO concerned. In the case of India, each application would need to be approved by the Indian National Commission for Co-operation with UNESCO (INCCU).
National Commissions can endorse a maximum of 4 applications per country, i.e., a maximum of four claims per state is allowed. Further, a maximum of two requests from the same country, and in two different creative fields, would be eligible for the ‘UNESCO Creative City’ designation.
Furthermore, cities that have submitted an application to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as part of two consecutive calls and that did not receive the designation, shall respect a moratorium of 4 years before presenting a new application.
UNESCO recommends that the candidate cities consult key local experts in the preparation of their applications. GlobalGiants.Com editor is associated with the enhancement of the network since 2014; he can share his complementary cutting-edge expertise with any local (India) city contemplating joining the big-league.
|GlobalGiants.Com|







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:28 PM | View the original post
June 11, 2019
Neil Irwin, New York Times Economics Writer, will discuss his latest book "How to Win in a Winner-Take-All World," at National Press Club Headliners event June 26.
WASHINGTON, DC — New York Times senior economics correspondent Neil Irwin will discuss his new book, “How to Win in a Winner-Take-All World: The Definitive Guide to Adapting and Succeeding in High-Performance Careers” in a National Press Club Headliners book event on Wednesday, June 26, 2019.
The event begins at 6:30 pm in the conference rooms, and will include a moderated discussion with Irwin, questions from the audience, and a book signing.
You may purchase a copy of the book at the event.
In his book, Irwin draws on data, analysis, and reporting to provide a roadmap for success in a shifting world of work. Irwin argues that successful people bring multiple skills together, acting as a “glue person” among people with different specialties. The book takes insights from behemoth companies such as Microsoft, Walmart, and Goldman Sachs, as well as smaller companies, such as the manufacturer of Jim Beam bourbon to show what it takes to succeed amid technological change and global competition.
Irwin, the author of The New York Times best-seller, “The Alchemists: Three Central Bankers and a World on Fire,” is a founding member of The Upshot, the Time’s site for analytical journalism. He has an MBA from Columbia University.
|GlobalGiants.Com|







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:44 PM | View the original post
June 7, 2019
United Nations General Assembly elects five non-permanent members of the Security Council.
Photo: The UN General Assembly today elected five non-permanent members for two-year terms on the Security Council starting on 1 January 2020: Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Viet Nam.
Kersti Kaljulaid (center), President of the Republic of Estonia, is flanked by (from left): Ralph E. Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Kalla Ankourao, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Niger; Khemaies Jhinaoui, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Tunisia; and Le Hoai Trung, Vice Minister for Affairs of Viet Nam. 07 June 2019. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Mark Garten.
Photo: The UN General Assembly today elected five non-permanent members for two-year terms on the Security Council starting on 1 January 2020: Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Viet Nam.
The delegation of the Republic of Estonia celebrates their country’s election to the Security Council. Kersti Kaljulaid, President of the Republic of Estonia, stands with arms raised. To her right is Urmas Reinsalu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia. 07 June 2019. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Loey Felipe.
Photo: The UN General Assembly today elected five non-permanent members for two-year terms on the Security Council starting on 1 January 2020: Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Viet Nam. Ralph E. Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, addresses press following his country’s election to the Security Council. 07 June 2019. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Loey Felipe.
Photo: The UN General Assembly today elected five non-permanent members for two-year terms on the Security Council starting on 1 January 2020: Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Viet Nam. Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Estonia, addresses press following her country’s election to the Security Council. 07 June 2019. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Loey Felipe.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
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“A King rules by divine right. He carries in him an authority from God, or man will never give it him.
Can I choose my own King?
I can choose my own King ‘Popinjay’, and play what farce or tragedy I may with him: but he who is to be my Ruler, whose will is to be higher than my will, was chosen for me in Heaven.”
— Thomas Carlyle, Sartor Resartus.







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:04 PM | View the original post
June 6, 2019
Fabriano, Italy, to host UNESCO Creative Cities Conference 2019.
Photo: A historic site in Fabriano, Italy. Image Credit: Barbara Skinner.
Paris, France, 06 June 2019 — The Italian city of Fabriano will host this year’s UNESCO Creative Cities Conference from 10 to 15 June. A cradle of papermaking in Europe since the second half of the 13th century and throughout the Renaissance, Fabriano joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) six years ago in the field of crafts and folk art.
Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy; Gabriele Santarelli, Mayor of Fabriano; Ernesto Ottone R., Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO; and Maria Francesca Merloni, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Creative Cities; will open the first plenary session of the meeting on 12 June 2019.
Some 400 delegates representing the 180 cities of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network will debate this year’s theme, “The Ideal City,” and exchange their diverse experiences and ideas for meeting the challenges of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the city level.
A record 50 mayors will participate in the conference, which will bring together municipal decision-makers from Al-Ahsa (Saudi Arabia) to Buenos Aires (Argentina), from Dakar (Senegal) to Budapest (Hungary), and from Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) to Wuhan (China). They will examine ways to anchor culture in development frameworks and policies and promote sustainable urban regeneration, social cohesion, employment, and entrepreneurship.
Flagship initiatives featured at this year’s conference will include the Lend a Hand project targeting vulnerable communities in Nassau (Bahamas), a regeneration program promoting green areas and walkability in Porto-Novo (Benin) and an innovative citizen-led project aimed at engaging youth in Geelong (Australia).
Launched in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network includes 180 cities from 72 countries focusing on seven fields of activity: crafts and folk art, media arts, design, film, gastronomy, literature, and music.
Representatives of the three UNESCO Creative Cities from India — Jaipur, Varanasi, and Chennai — are also expected to attend the conference.
Source: UNESCO, Paris.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
@UNESCO #CreativeCities Conference #Fabriano : Mayors from all over the world with President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella. pic.twitter.com/1hXlwSM93H
— Fabriano Creativa (@FabCreativa) June 12, 2019
«Altri verranno dopo di noi, ma c’è una cosa per la quale non vogliamo essere superati: nel modo con cui abbiamo servito la nostra terra».
— Fabriano Creativa (@FabCreativa) April 10, 2019
Francesca Merloni su @corriereadriatico: #creatività, #Appennino e #UNESCO #creativecities Conference a #Fabriano.https://t.co/vAXb2swbrL pic.twitter.com/0vcdAJ066K
Conto alla rovescia per l'inizio della XIII @UNESCO #CreativeCities Conference a #Fabriano … e oggi siamo su #destinazionemarche, il blog di @MarcheTourism !https://t.co/x0FqY7Plyw pic.twitter.com/Ot0e27mk8j
— Fabriano Creativa (@FabCreativa) June 7, 2019
Fino al 15 giugno le Città Creative #UNESCO si incontrano nella Città della Carta di #Fabriano per l’UNESCO Cities Conference 2019. In mostra anche “La Madonna Benois” di #LeonardodaVinci.https://t.co/LcUfC1kqkV@fabcreativa #destinazionemarche #marche #creativecities pic.twitter.com/UVrZu3kdBc
— Marche Tourism (@MarcheTourism) June 12, 2019







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:10 PM | View the original post
June 3, 2019
Government of India selects 10 High Performing State Universities for Mentoring by Leading U.S. Schools.
Photo: Banner outside one of the buildings housing Cornell Law School (Established 1887), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. Image Credit: Indabelle.
New Delhi, June 3, 2019 — Under the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), ten high-performing state universities are set to undergo a significant improvement.
The chosen colleges will get a special grant of Rs 100 crore each this academic year. Further, as part of this program, these universities will be mentored by seven leading US universities, including Cornell, UPenn, and UC Berkeley.
The ten state universities picked for this global association are:
- Osmania University, Hyderabad
- University of Jammu, Jammu
- Andhra University, Visakhapatnam
- Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati
- Jadavpur University, Kolkata
- Alagappa University, Karaikudi
- Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra
- Savitri Bai Phule University, Pune
- Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar
- Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar
Broad agreements and advanced plans have already been drawn up with University of California, Berkeley; University of Pennsylvania; Purdue University; Northeastern University; Drexel University; Cornell University and the University of South Florida for the collaboration.
The Selected 10 Indian State Public Universities and their U.S. Guides/Associates are as follows:
State — University — U.S. Guide/Associate — Area Of Collaboration
- Telangana: Osmania University, Hyderabad — University of Pennsylvania — Education Innovation.
- Jammu and Kashmir: (i) University of Jammu, Jammu — University of Pennsylvania — Education Innovation. (ii) University of Jammu, Jammu — University of California, Berkeley — Bio-Technology and Data Science.
- Andhra Pradesh: (i) Andhra University, Visakhapatnam — Purdue University — Pharmaceutical and Manufacturing. (ii) Sri Venkateshwara University, Tirupati — Northeastern University/Purdue University — Entrepreneurship Innovation/ Pharmaceutical and Manufacturing.
- West Bengal: Jadavpur University, Kolkata — University of California, Berkeley — Bio-Technology and Data Science.
- Tamil Nadu: (i) Alagappa University, Karaikudi — Drexel University — Bio-Technology and Nano- Technology. (ii) Alagappa University, Karaikudi — Cornell University — Life Sciences.
- Haryana: Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra — Drexel University — Bio-Technology and Environment.
- Maharashtra: Savitri Bai Phule University, Pune — University of California, Berkeley — Startup Accelerator Program, Blockchain, and Data Science.
- Odisha — (i) Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar — Northeastern University — Development Impact Lab and Technology Park. (ii) Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar — University of California, Berkeley — Data Science and Accelerators.
- Punjab: (i) Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar — Cornell University — Agriculture. (ii) Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar — University of South Florida — Entrepreneurship Innovation and Sports Sciences.
The National Higher Education Resource Centre ((NHERC) will monitor the international collaborations to achieve the objective set for each of the selected ten universities.
In one of the first instances of the implementation of this program of the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, and its decided mentor/partner Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, are building a plan of exchange and collaboration in Agriculture. GNDU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jaspal Singh Sandhu, and Cornell University Vice-Provost for International Affairs, Professor Wendy Wolford, signed a formal “MoU.”
Prof. Sandhu said, “This is the first time in the history of Guru Nanak Dev University that it has established an international partnership of this magnitude and significance with a top university of the world.”
Photo: Laura D. Tyson, Professor of Economics, University of California, Berkeley, USA, captured during the session ‘Is Freedom overrated?’ at the Annual Meeting 2007 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum / E.T. Studhalter. [File Photo]
The University of California Berkeley will mentor the University of Jammu, Jammu; Jadavpur University, Kolkata; Savitri Bai Phule University, Pune; and Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar. The idea is to make all the 10 Selected State Universities as World-Class Universities.
• Meanwhile, the Government of India has determined that Panjab University Chandigarh is Unfit and Ineligible for this Pivotal Project.
|GlobalGiants.Com|







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:07 AM | View the original post
June 1, 2019
College Consensus Releases Ranking of Best Colleges in New York State
Photo: McGraw Clock Tower at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Image Credit: Kyle Wagaman.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — College Consensus, a college ranking publisher, has announced its ranking of the Best Colleges in New York State.
To identify the Best Colleges in New York, College Consensus says that it combined the latest results from the most respected college ranking systems with thousands of real student reviews to produce a unique consensus score for each school. According to College Consensus founder Jeremy Alder, “Similar to what ‘Rotten Tomatoes’ does for movies, College Consensus gathers the publisher rankings and student reviews from around the web and distills the results into simple, easy to understand scores so students can quickly and easily compare schools. It is the ranking of all rankings, so to speak.”
‘Rotten Tomatoes,’ it may be mentioned, is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. It was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley. The name “Rotten Tomatoes” derives from the practice of audiences throwing rotten tomatoes when disapproving of a poor stage performance.
To help prospective New York students evaluate the higher education options that are right for their individual needs, College Consensus identified the best-ranked colleges in the Empire State:
- Columbia University - New York, NY
- Vassar College - Poughkeepsie, NY
- Cornell University - Ithaca, NY
- Hamilton College - Clinton, NY
- Colgate University - Hamilton, NY
- Barnard College - New York, NY
- Union College - Schenectady, NY
- The Cooper Union - New York, NY
- New York University - New York, NY
- Skidmore College - Saratoga Springs, NY
- SUNY College at Geneseo - Geneseo, NY
- NY Merchant Marine Academy - Kings Point, NY
- St. Lawrence University - Canton, NY
- Ithaca College - Ithaca, NY
- Marist College - Poughkeepsie, NY
- Sarah Lawrence College - Bronxville, NY
- Hobart and William Smith Colleges - Geneva, NY
- St. Bonaventure University - St. Bonaventure, NY
- University of Rochester - Rochester, NY
- Fordham University - the Bronx, NY
- Bard College - Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
- Syracuse University - Syracuse, NY
- Molloy College - Rockville Centre, NY
- Manhattan College - Riverdale, NY
- Nazareth College - Rochester, NY
Even before there was the United States, New York emerged as the center of American culture; a major port and trade hub, New York is where the “melting pot” concept first appeared in the American imagination. From the first Revolutionaries to hip-hop culture, New York has been at the forefront of business, art, politics, and entertainment, driven by the unique combination of ambition, competition, and cooperation that is New York’s calling card. While almost half the state’s population lives in New York City alone, New York as a whole is a role model for nearly every industry, from agriculture to tourism, manufacturing to finance. It’s no wonder New York has one of America’s best-educated populaces and a system of higher education that includes the Ivy League, nationally-renowned public universities, and some of the most prestigious private liberal arts colleges in the U.S.
“Ranking the best colleges and universities in New York,” as Managing Editor Carrie Sealey-Morris explains, “is pretty close to a fool’s errand.” With more than 200 institutions, “New York’s higher education excels in the areas where New York dominates,” including areas as far afield as theater and medicine, finance and fine arts. New York’s higher education system is led by “the renowned State University of New York (SUNY) system - quite possibly the world’s foremost public higher education system” and not one but “two Ivy League universities, Columbia and Cornell.” New York’s liberal arts colleges “are models of the form, in many cases literally, including the first women’s college in the U.S.” New York also introduced the polytechnic model of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education with The Cooper Union, the longest-running entirely free college, Carrie Sealey-Morris explained.
Source: College Consensus
|GlobalGiants.Com|







Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:00 PM | View the original post