Three-Day, 2nd International Conference on Innovation and Sustainability in Business Development concludes at ICccR & HRM, University of Jammu

JAMMU: Three-Day, 2nd International Conference on “Innovation and Sustainability in Business Development”, organised by The International Centre for Cross Cultural Research and Human Resource Management (ICccR & HRM), University of Jammu, under the overarching theme “Future of Work: Global Institutions, Policy, Practices, and Perspectives – Transforming Work, Driving Innovation, Sustaining Futures” concludes at University of Jammu. The three-day international conference was organized in collaboration with California State University, San Bernardino, USA; The University of the South Pacific, Fiji; and the Directorate of Industries and Commerce (DIC), Jammu & Kashmir. 

The speakers for the valedictory ceremony of the conference were Prof. Karamjeet Singh, Vice Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Prof. K.S Chandrasekar, Vice Chancellor, Cluster University of Jammu, Jammu; Prof. Sanjay Nadkarni, Plekhanov University, Dubai; Prof. J.P Singh Joorel, Dean Academic Affairs, University of Jammu, Jammu.

 Prof. J.P. Singh Joorel, Dean Academic Affairs, University of Jammu, in his presidential address appreciated the relevance of the deliberations and encouraged the organizing team for successfully facilitating meaningful academic discourse. He emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in academia to address contemporary challenges and foster innovation-driven, sustainable futures.

Prof. Karamjeet Singh, Vice Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar in his valedictory address emphasized that sustainability must be approached holistically, keeping in mind the optimal use of resources, respect for time, the balance of nature, and the collective human effort involved in institutional and societal growth. He highlighted that innovation should be aligned with ecological responsibility and ethical governance to ensure long-term impact and inclusive development.

Keynote speaker Prof. K.S. Chandrasekar, Vice Chancellor, Cluster University of Jammu, in his address underlined the centrality of people’s well-being in building sustainable organizations. He stressed that emotional, social, and behavioural dimensions of individuals are crucial for organizational resilience and effectiveness. According to him, sustainable institutions thrive when human values, empathy, and social responsibility are integrated into their functioning.

Prof. Sanjay Nadkarni, Plekhanov University, Dubai in his address spoke on the transformative role of innovation and Artificial Intelligence in sustainability and business management. He highlighted how emerging technologies, when applied responsibly, can enhance decision-making, optimize resource utilization, and create sustainable business models that are adaptive to global challenges.

Earlier, the valedictory session commenced with a welcome address by Prof. Hardeep Chahal, Conference Convener and Director, ICccR & HRM, University of Jammu. In her address, Prof. Chahal expressed her sincere gratitude and acknowledged the invaluable support and encouragement extended by Prof. Umesh Rai, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu, in facilitating the organization of such academic events.

Dr. Isha Sharma, Conference Convener and Senior Assistant Professor, ICccR & HRM, University of Jammu presented the conference report highlighting the key deliberations, themes, and outcomes of the academic event. The report provided a comprehensive overview of the technical sessions, keynote addresses, plenary discussions, and interactive engagements held during the conference. Dr. Bhanu Pratap Singh, Assistant Professor, ICccR & HRM, University of Jammu presented the formal vote of thanks.

Prominent others present in the valedictory ceremony were Prof. Soumodip Sarkar, University of Évora, Portugal; Prof. Gurmeet Singh, University of the South Pacific, Fiji; Prof. Rishi Raj Sharma, GNDU, Gurdaspur Campus; Prof. Soumya Mukherjee, Swami Vivekananda University, Kolkata; Dr. Baljeet Singh, IIM Jammu; Dr, Satinder Kumar, Punjabi University, Patiala; Mr, Gagan Jain, VKC Nuts Pvt Ltd., Directors, faculty members and officials from other departments of University of Jammu, conference delegates, media personnel, conference sponsors, alumni of ICccR & HRM and students of ICccR & HRM.

The valedictory ceremony was coordinated by Dr. Swati Sharma, Assistant Professor, ICccR & HRM, University of Jammu. Dr. Shivani Rana, Dr. Neha Gupta and Dr. Parul Mahajan faculty from ICccR & HRM co-convened the conference tracks, and plenary sessions. The valedictory ceremony was preceded by a plenary talk on “Future of Work and Operations in Uncertain Times: Practitioners Insights” and parallel track sessions.