Ahmedabad, July 2025: Anant National University, in collaboration with Penn Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE), will host the Indigenous Consciousness Education Research Methodology Convening on 25-26 July 2025. This convening brings together leading scholars, education policy experts and practitioners to explore Indigenous Consciousness research methodologies and set the foundation for an India-based research project – Indigenous Consciousness Methodology Education Research Project (ICER).
The convening marks a significant step in advancing Indigenous Consciousness Methodologies, an approach that honours local knowledge systems, prioritises community-engaged practices and fosters sustainable, equitable educational frameworks. Through ICER, set to be launched for the academic year 2025-2026, Anant aims to inform education policy development by ensuring that Indigenous perspectives remain central to shaping impactful and culturally responsive learning models. This initiative is closely aligned with the vision outlined in India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which advocates for inclusive, locally grounded education models that preserve and promote indigenous knowledge systems.
The convening also builds upon Anant’s collaboration with Penn GSE, expanding efforts in global education innovation. Anant and Penn GSE previously hosted The Future of Learning Collaborative in 2023, which led to the launch of an influential White Paper as an urgent call to redesign the global education system in response to sweeping changes that are reshaping human existence. Through the ongoing partnership, the two universities foster cooperative research, facilitate international exchanges, enhance the quality of learning, extend the reach of both institutions and collaborate on the exchange of academic materials and initiatives that advance matters of mutual academic interests.
A leading Ivy League institution, the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE) has a century-long tradition of producing education leaders driven by innovation, research and social impact. Penn GSE actively partners with schools, universities and communities around the world to improve educational access and equity. As part of its mission to promote global engagement in all its forms, the University of Pennsylvania through Penn Global administers a competitive global engagement grant programme. This initiative provides resources to faculty and staff to support a broad range of research, teaching, service and engagement activities both globally and in specific focus countries and regions.
With this convening, Anant is taking another bold step toward equitably inclusive education, ensuring that Indigenous knowledge systems receive due recognition and representation in research and policy discourse. This effort reinforces Anant’s vision to drive innovative, locally relevant education methodologies and materials rooted in India’s local realities, regional diversities and national aspirations.