1 September 2022

Launch of ASEAN-India Network of Universities (AINU)

By
Patitin Lertnaikiat
AUN Programme Officer;

The 29th of August 2022 marks the monumental launch of ASEAN-India Network of Universities (AINU) by Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs and Education (MoS) and the Secretary General of ASEAN, Dato Lim Jock Hoi. The AINU was initiated by Prime Minister Modi during the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi in January 2018. The event took place in a hybrid format, on-site participants attended the event at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was also held online for Zoom participants who were not able to physically attend the event. Over 20 ASEAN member universities attended the launch of AINU. The vision of AINU is to be the “knowledge ecosystem” that will enlarge the scope of collaboration that will build a resource pool of knowledge that can be shared between ASEAN and India. 

Remarks and speeches were given by the Ambassador of India to ASEAN, Jayant Khobragrade; Minister of State for External Affairs of India (MoS), Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh; Secretary General of ASEAN (ASG), Lim Jock Hoi; ASEAN University Network Executive Director, Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti; and Vice Chancellor of the Nalanda University, Prof. Sunaina Singh.

To begin the event, the “Lighting of Lamp Ceremony” commenced with the honored dignitaries to celebrate the launch of AINU. 

 

Following this, the Ambassador of India to ASEAN, Jayant Khobragrade, took to the stage to give a welcoming remark to all participants on-site and online.

 

Afterwards, Vice Chancellor of the Nalanda University, Prof. Sunaina Singh, gave an introduction regarding ASEAN-India Network of Universities and other programmes. Prof. Sunaina presented the vision of AINU to be the “knowledge ecosystem” forged through the linkages of Indian and ASEAN universities. AINU will create new knowledge and research while further enlarging the scope of collaboration. This expanded collaboration will build a resource pool of knowledge that can be shared between ASEAN and India.

 

The pre-recorded message from AUN Executive Director Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti was then played to congratulate the successful launch of AINU. After the message, Minister of State for External Affairs of India (MoS), Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh and Secretary General of ASEAN (ASG), Lim Jock Hoi also addressed the launch of AINU and proceeded with the joint beating of the “Gong” to denote the official launch of AINU.

 

The launch event then concludes with a final Vote of Thanks by the Ambassador of India to ASEAN.