New Delhi: The Management Education & Research Institute (MERI), Janakpuri, New Delhi, concluded its six-day International Faculty Development Programme (FDP) titled “Engage, Innovate, Educate: AI-Enabled Teaching and Learning,” bringing together nearly 70 educators, researchers, and academic professionals to explore the evolving role of artificial intelligence in transforming higher education.
Organised by MERI’s Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) from July 13 to 18, the programme sought to balance technological innovation with ethics, critical thinking and human-centred pedagogy.
The inaugural session was addressed by I. P. Aggarwal, Chairman, Triveni Educational & Social Welfare Society, who highlighted both the opportunities and challenges AI presents for education. Prof. Lalit Aggarwal, Vice-President, MERI Group of Institutions, stressed that while AI is reshaping teaching and research, educators must preserve originality, ethics and independent thinking. Technical sessions on the opening day introduced participants to learning analytics through Power BI and the growing role of educational analytics in academic governance and accreditation.
Over six days, the FDP explored a wide spectrum of themes ranging from AI-powered teaching tools and curriculum design to quality assurance, leadership and emotional intelligence.
Experts demonstrated applications of platforms such as Perplexity AI, NotebookLM, Magic School AI, Elicit, Consensus, SciSpace, Scopus AI and Google Scholar Lab for lesson planning, literature review and academic writing, while also discussing cognitive learning, mentoring and the evolving role of teachers in technology-driven classrooms.
International perspectives enriched the programme through sessions on ethical AI, governance and regulatory frameworks, which emphasised transparency, accountability, data privacy and responsible adoption of emerging technologies. Other sessions focused on AI-assisted research, innovation, curriculum development and best practices for integrating technology into higher education without compromising academic integrity.
The programme also devoted significant attention to leadership, professional competencies and soft skills. Retired senior military officers shared practical insights on ethical decision-making, digital discipline and leadership through concepts such as VUCA, QATA and the OODA Loop, while interactive workshops on emotional intelligence, communication, conflict management and collaborative learning encouraged participants to build resilience and learner engagement.
The concluding day focused on student-centred, AI-enabled pedagogy and responsible digital behaviour. Speakers underscored that technology should enhance, rather than replace, meaningful classroom interactions and human values.
The valedictory session was attended by Prof. Lalit Aggarwal, Prof. (Dr.) Rakesh Khurana, Lt. Gen. P. J. S. Pannu (Retd.), Maj. Gen. Manjeet Singh Mokha (Retd.), Prof. Ramakant Dwivedi, Dr. Deepshikha Kalra, Air Commodore Himanshu Gopal, VSM (Retd.), and other dignitaries, who commended participants for their active engagement and described the FDP as a significant step towards preparing educators for an AI-enabled future while reinforcing ethics, innovation and academic excellence.
