Public open universities’ V-C’s round table conference in Thiruvananthapuram from February 23

Sreenarayana Guru Open University (SGOU) will host a three-day Vice-Chancellors’ (V-C) round table conference of public open universities of India in Thiruvananthapuram commencing Monday (February 23, 2026).

The annual conference is convened under the aegis of the Indian Association of Public Open Universities (IAPOU) to enhance collaboration among open universities and strengthen the distance education sector in India. The event is being organised in collaboration with the Commonwealth of Learning - Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia.

The key objectives of the Thiruvananthapuram conference include developing a credit transfer framework among open universities, leveraging digital technologies to modernise pedagogy, democratising access to higher education, promoting the effective use of Artificial Intelligence in distance education and increasing learner enrolment.

Higher Education Minister R. Bindu will formally inaugurate the programme. SGOU V-C Jagathy Raj V.P. will preside over the session.

Kerala State Higher Education Council vice-chairperson Rajan Gurukkal, Commonwealth of Learning chief executive officer Peter Scott, IAPOU president and Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University V-C Sanjeev Sonawane will also speak on the occasion.