KIIT to host Eurasian Silk Road Universities Consortium meet
Issues relating to mutual co-operation, joint research and exchange programmes would be discussed threadbare during the 4th Annual Conference of Eurasian Silk Road Universities Consortium (ESRUC) 2013 being hosted by KIIT University here from tomorrow.

With “Investing the social, cultural and global issues along the Silk Road” as its theme, the three-day conference would be participated by more than 200 Vice Chancellors and Rectors from different universities of Eurasian countries.

The annual ESRUC convention is held in various member universities numbering over 400. This year the meet is being held in India in KIIT University, Prof P P Mathur, VC, KIIT University told reporters in presence of Satyendra Patnaik, Rector, KIIT University and Prof Alicaglar Guliuce from organising committee Ataturk University.

Since India has always been an important country in the region, it was a natural choice. The Eurasian Silk Road Universities Consortium decided to hold the meet in KIIT because of its wide international exposure, he said.

KIIT has students from 60 different countries and is a member of more than 50 international educational bodies and institutions. It is a pride for KIIT and Odisha, as it is for first time such a conference is being organised in the State.

During the three-day convention, Rectors, Vice Chancellors and Senior Professors from 150-200 member universities along with the Vice Chancellors of several Indian Universities will be taking part, he said.

Apart from academic discussions, the members will be deliberating on issues relating to mutual co-operation, joint research, exchange of students and faculties, Mathur said.

As early as 200 BC, the Silk Road provided the only route for riches and ideas between Asia and Europe. This 7000 mile long road was travelled by traders, pilgrims, soldiers and nomads. This was in fact the only road for everybody till sea routes to China were established.

This entire road is a home to several ethnic groups like Azeri, Chechen, Eherkez, Persian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Pashtun Tajik, Turkman, Uzbek and Mongolians. In 13th century AD Marcopolo too came through this road.

There are important countries mostly Eurasian across the road where many Universities impart education to millions of students. With an aim to share and exchange knowledge amongst Universities along the Silk Road, the Eurasian Silk Road Universities Consortium (ESRUC) was established five years ago with its headquarters in Ataturk University, Turkey.

In a changed global educational scenario, countries are now looking towards East. India''s look East Policy has also attracted the countries closer to India. India, being a major education power, can take advantage of it. With more and more students coming for higher education to India, such a conference will be of immense importance.