GKII Partner Interview: Dr. Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General, Association of Indian Universities (AIU)
Dr. Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), has been a leading voice in advancing higher education collaboration, internationalization, and institutional partnerships across India. Through AIU’s longstanding work with the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute (GKII), Dr. Mittal has helped strengthen connections between Indian and U.S. universities, creating new opportunities for collaboration in research, education, leadership, and innovation. In this conversation with Beth Romanski, Senior Program Manager at the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute, Dr. Mittal shares her perspective on what makes international partnerships truly equitable, the evolving role of India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and how initiatives like the International Network for Internationalization of Higher Education (INIHE) can help shape a more collaborative future for global higher education.
AIU and GKII have worked closely to connect institutions across India and the U.S. What do you see as the defining features of an equitable and mutually beneficial partnership, and how are our organizations modeling that in practice?
An equitable and mutually beneficial partnership is founded on trust, shared ownership, reciprocity, and respect for the strengths and priorities of each partner. Such partnerships move beyond transactional engagements and create long-term frameworks where knowledge, expertise, resources, and opportunities flow in both directions. In equitable collaborations, both institutions bring unique perspectives, innovations, and contextual understanding that enrich the partnership.
The collaboration between AIU and the Johns Hopkins Gupta-Klinsky India Institute exemplifies this approach. Together, we are focusing on creating platforms that facilitate dialogue, capacity building, joint problem-solving, and institutional networking. Rather than promoting one-way transfer of knowledge, we wish to encourage co-learning and co-design of initiatives that respond to the needs and aspirations of institutions in both India and the United States. Through conferences, leadership engagements, and collaborative programs, we are seeking to build relationships that are sustainable, inclusive, and beneficial to all stakeholders.
Can you share a recent U.S.-India collaboration that illustrates how partnerships can move beyond exchange toward co-creation of knowledge, programs, or research?
One of the most encouraging developments in recent years has been the emergence of U.S.-India partnerships that move beyond traditional exchange programmes toward genuine co-creation of knowledge, innovation, and institutional capacity. Examples include the collaboration between Arizona State University and Shiv Nadar University, as well as Arizona State University and Chitkara University, which focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, and curriculum development. Similarly, the University at Buffalo’s engagement with Indian Institutes of Technology, Purdue University’s collaboration with IIT Hyderabad, and the partnership between UC San Diego and Plaksha University demonstrate how institutions are jointly developing research agendas, academic programmes, and innovation ecosystems. The Johns Hopkins Gupta-Klinsky India Institute’s engagement with Indian universities through AIU further illustrates how partnerships can foster shared leadership, capacity building, and collaborative problem-solving. These examples reflect a broader shift toward partnerships characterized by shared agenda-setting, joint research, collaborative curriculum development, and co-authored outputs, thereby advancing solutions to global challenges while remaining responsive to local needs.
These partnerships are not merely about mobility or exchange; they involve shared agenda-setting, joint funding mechanisms, collaborative curriculum development, and co-authored research outputs. Such models reflect a shift toward genuine co-creation of knowledge and solutions that have global relevance while remaining sensitive to local contexts.
As INIHE gains visibility, how do you envision it evolving as a space for shared leadership between Indian and U.S. institutions rather than traditional North–South models?
The International Network for Internationalization of Higher Education (INIHE) has the potential to become a transformative platform for redefining global academic engagement. I envision INIHE as a space where leadership is distributed, decision-making is collaborative, and institutions from both countries contribute equally to shaping priorities and outcomes.
Moving away from traditional North–South paradigms requires recognizing that innovation and expertise are increasingly distributed across the globe. Indian institutions today are not only recipients of international knowledge but are also significant contributors to global scholarship, innovation, and policy discourse. INIHE can serve as a platform for joint leadership in areas such as curriculum internationalization, digital learning, sustainable development, research collaboration, and capacity building.
The future success of INIHE will depend on fostering networks where institutions jointly identify challenges, co-create solutions, and share accountability for outcomes. Such an approach can help build a more balanced and inclusive model of international higher education cooperation.
How has NEP 2020 influenced the way Indian institutions approach global partnerships, particularly in ensuring they are reciprocal and aligned with local priorities?
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has fundamentally transformed the internationalization landscape in India. It places strong emphasis on global engagement while simultaneously reinforcing the importance of local relevance, cultural rootedness, and national development priorities.
NEP 2020 encourages institutions to pursue international collaborations that strengthen teaching, research, innovation, and capacity building through dual/joint degrees, research collaboration, and faculty and student exchange. Importantly, it promotes partnerships that are aligned with India’s developmental needs and institutional goals rather than being driven solely by international rankings or visibility. The policy has also facilitated greater academic flexibility, multidisciplinary approaches, credit recognition mechanisms, and opportunities for collaborative degree programs.
As a result, Indian institutions are increasingly seeking partnerships based on complementarity rather than dependency. They are engaging in collaborations that support local problem-solving while contributing to global knowledge. This has strengthened the emphasis on reciprocity, shared benefit, and mutual learning in international engagements.
What opportunities do you see right now to deepen U.S.-India collaboration in ways that are truly two-way and sustainable?
The opportunities for U.S.-India collaboration have never been greater. Both countries possess vibrant higher education ecosystems, strong research capabilities, and a shared commitment to innovation and societal impact.
Key areas for deeper collaboration include artificial intelligence, healthcare innovation, public health, climate change mitigation, sustainability, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, quantum technology, and entrepreneurship. There is also tremendous potential in faculty development, joint doctoral training, student innovation challenges, community-engaged research, and the creation of collaborative research hubs.
To ensure sustainability, partnerships must be institution-to-institution rather than individual-to-individual, supported by long-term strategic frameworks, diversified funding models, and measurable outcomes. Building enduring networks of faculty, students, researchers, and administrators will be essential for creating collaborations that continue to thrive beyond individual projects or funding cycles.
Testimonial
About Dr. Pankaj Mittal
Dr. (Mrs) Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) is the second woman Secretary General of the AIU in its 100 years of existence. She is concurrently serving as Chief Commissioner (Guides) at Bharat Scouts and Guides. Dr Mittal is a Fulbright Scholar and has been a topper in MSc and PhD in Agricultural Statistics from IARI, New Delhi. Dr Mittal has also served as the first regular Vice Chancellor of Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya, Haryana, the first rural women university of North India for two terms. She has been serving the higher education sector for more than 03 decades at senior positions at the University Grants Commission. Dr Mittal is also the recipient of many Awards and Honours including Fulbright Nehru Scholarship grant for Educational Administrators, President of India Award for Digital Initiatives in Higher education, Honorary Doctorate-D. Litt. (Honoris Causa) from Karnataka State Women’s University, Padmashri Subhashini Devi Award for contributions in Societal Development and Community Engagement, Qimpro Gold Standard Award for leadership in Education and Smt. Sushma Swaraj Stree Shakti Samman. Dr Mittal has been leading international delegations and has visited a number of countries like USA, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Australia, China, South Korea, Spain, Germany, Turkey, South Africa, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Philippines for presenting papers in international conferences, collaborations and Partnerships. She has published numerous papers, articles, and reports on issues relating to higher education and women empowerment in national and international journals.