The IEEE International Conference on Technology Enhanced Education will be hosted at the Amritapuri campus of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham during January 3-5, 2012.

Read messages from our Chancellor Amma and our Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Venkat Rangan, below.

Amma is happy to see representatives of so many nations coming together for this conference to engage in research for a better world.

A journalist once asked Amma what her favorite color is. Amma replied that her favorite color is that of the rainbow. This is because it represents the unity and collaboration of diverse colors. Though each color remains distinct, it is when they come together harmoniously that a rainbow is formed in the sky, with its allure and attractiveness.

In a similar way, the efforts that all of you make here together will prove to be a blessing for humanity.

Just 200 years or so ago, science and spirituality were regarded as brethren fields of enquiry. Though today’s world has come to see them as totally separate, science and spirituality actually complement each other. Neither is based on blind faith – the principles of both fields have stood the test of empirical proof.

Just as modern scientists research the external world, the great sages conducted research in the inner laboratories of their minds.

“When values and knowledge become one, there can be no more powerful instrument for the welfare of humankind. Mankind should take only what is needed from the creation and the world around oneself. We are standing on the threshold of a new era wherein material science and spirituality will move forward hand in hand.”

It is Amma’s prayer that we develop the expansiveness of mind to embrace both scientific knowledge and spiritual wisdom. If we merge these two streams of knowledge, we will find that we are able to create a mighty river – a river whose waters can remove suffering and facilitate the healthy growth of society.

Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi
Chancellor
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

The use of the latest in communication technology for the promotion of education and taking it to a much larger student population has been one of the passionate pursuits of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham lately.

There are several ongoing projects ongoing that will help in teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) subjects more easily and at virtually no cost for the benefit of all educational institutions across India.

To give a few examples – Virtual and Remote Labs for various engineering disciplines with the aid of computers, Haptics Technology for imparting practical vocational training and A-View or Virtual Interactive Elearning World linking all universities in India and Adaptive Assessment and Learning Technologies deployed by the cloud.

These projects have opened up new avenues of imparting education not only in the conventional disciplines but also in such areas as vocational training.

In furtherance of this pursuit, an International Conference on Technology Enhanced Education, is being organized at the Amritapuri campus of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham during January 3-5. The theme of the conference is Educational Technology for Societal Benefit.

The conference will see discussions and deliberations on ways and means to raise the level of education in India with the help of emerging technologies.

Renowned economist, social activist and Nobel Laureate Prof. Muhamad Yunus will be the Chief Guest at the inaugural ceremony on January 3. Hailing from Bangladesh, Prof. Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize for his outstanding contribution to the upliftment of ordinary people.

This is also a primary mission for Mata Amritanandamayi Math’s Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, which has pioneered the use of latest information and communication technologies for enhanced delivery of education nationally.

Eminent technologists and educational experts from over 18 countries and 100 universities including Shri Dilip Chenoy, CEO-National Skill Development Corporation; Shri Vineet Joshi, Chairman-CBSE, Directors of IIT Delhi and Hyderabad, Scientists from MIT and Carnegie Mellon, are all participating in the three-day international conference.

With best wishes,

Dr. Venkat Rangan
Vice-Chancellor
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

SEE ALSO
Benedictory Address at ICTEE 2012
Nobel Laureate Speaks at ICTEE 2012 Inauguration
ICTEE Delegates Meet Chancellor Amma
Vocational Education and Haptics at ICTEE 2012
A-View Showcased at ICTEE 2012
Schools’ Workshop at ICTEE 2012
Virtual Labs Workshop at ICTEE 2012
ICTEE 2012 Concludes

January 2, 2011
Amritapuri Campus