Kurukshetra as a Global University Region

The relationship between a university and its surrounding region becomes meaningful through work that continues over time. A school benefits when support extends beyond a visit. A community research project becomes useful when its findings return to the people who contributed. My vision for Kurukshetra begins with these continuing relationships and asks how institutions can organise themselves to sustain them.

I envisage Kurukshetra, Pehowa, Thanesar and the adjoining region as a shared setting for education, research and public service. Departments would identify responsibilities related to their expertise and develop them with local partners. Students would encounter the region through supervised work, while researchers would have opportunities to investigate questions arising from public needs.

A programme of this kind should begin with consultation. Schools, cultural institutions, local authorities and community organisations understand circumstances that a university may not immediately recognise. Their priorities should shape the questions being asked. Agreements should explain who is responsible, how long the work will continue and what each participant can reasonably expect.

Education departments could support teaching and learning in schools. Arts and humanities researchers could work on archives, cultural interpretation and regional histories. Other disciplines could contribute to agreed projects concerning the environment, enterprise or public services. The particular activities should follow demonstrated capability and demand, with academic supervision and resources provided accordingly.

Coordination would help these activities accumulate into a regional programme. I propose a university-region council involving academic institutions, public bodies, alumni and community representatives. Its work would include identifying shared priorities and reviewing progress. A supporting service-learning centre could connect student participation with departments and local partners, helping projects continue across changes in student cohorts.

International engagement would develop alongside this regional work. Visiting students and researchers could contribute to well-designed projects and learn from the circumstances of Kurukshetra. Local students would gain opportunities to discuss their work with people bringing other experiences and methods. The region’s cultural setting would provide a basis for exchange with a distinct educational purpose.

I would judge this vision by the durability and usefulness of the relationships it creates. Better-supported learning, completed research and work valued by community partners would provide evidence of progress. The ambition is for the University to become an active partner in regional life, with its teaching enriched by the responsibilities it undertakes beyond the campus.