Springer Nature and the Indian Ministry of Education jointly hosted a one-day research event at CSIR-IMMT (Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology), Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The event focused on bringing together government officials, policymakers, researchers, academics, students and start-up founders to discuss different aspects of the research landscape in India.
Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India was the Chief Guest at the event. He was accompanied by his Joint Secretary PK Banerjee, and the Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.
Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India, in his address said: “The India Research Conclave 2023 is not just an academic event; It is a platform that builds dialogue, fosters collaboration and envisions a future grounded in innovation, inclusivity and ethical excellence for Indian researchers. There is a need for better collaboration between industry, academia, and research aimed at contributing to society and making lives easier. The conclave marks a beginning of a nationwide learning, sharing and educating young researchers in the form of national bus tour. It is a unique space for budding researchers to learn about publishing opportunities, know about new ways of spreading their work on global platforms and to harness the full potential of research for nation building. I congratulate Springer Nature and all the organisers and those present and hope to hear back on the specifics of the learnings from the event.”
The event was open to the public free of cost and consisted of four panel discussions. Renowned Indian academics, researchers and entrepreneurs actively discussed the importance of making research faster, more accessible, inclusive, ethical and innovative. More than 600 people were in attendance at the venue and several hundred more joined the session online from across the globe.
Steven Inchcoombe, President, Research Markets, Springer Nature said: “At Springer Nature our mission is to advance science and research by meeting and serving the needs of researchers, their institutions and the wider research community. This event is a testimony to our commitment towards supporting Indian research and researchers, and fostering national and international collaborations that will enable India’s economic success. The transition to Open Science is reshaping global research communication so in addition to everything Springer Nature is already doing we will partner and work with researchers and research organisations to drive this in India while maintaining the highest levels of scientific rigour, integrity and trust.”
Venkatesh Sarvasiddhi, Managing Director of Springer Nature India Pvt. Ltd. added: “India is on the cusp of a major transformation over the next decade, with ambition, talent, and resources set to operate on the global stage. Springer Nature is already the 2nd largest contributor of scientific research globally, and with the right partnerships, policies and technological advancement, we will continue to grow in the years to come. Springer Nature will support the government to help create a hub for research and innovation in the country that will propel us to enhance research output from India.”
The discussions at the event focused on the importance of Open Science and Open Research, the various opportunities available today to move research into reality and the innovative solutions that can help resolve the world’s most urgent challenges.
Dr. Ramanuj Naryan, Director of CSIR-IMMT Bhubaneswar, said: “Today, we are living in critical times where sound science needs to be valued and made available as soon as possible across the globe. It is equally important to support those who have innovative ideas and solutions and provide them with opportunities and platforms to bring their ideas to life. Events like the India Research Conclave will help us to connect and collaborate with decision makers and researchers alike and will also provide researchers from different branches of science and technology a strategic direction for the futureand realise initiatives like StartUp India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
Ahead of his closing keynote, MoS for External Affairs and Education Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, also launched Springer Nature’s first Research Integrity Survey in India, along with a selection of few new academic books focusing on the Indian economy and the education landscape in the country.
The Research Integrity Survey seeks to address the following:
To determine the scale of training on research integrity (using the NIH definition of the term on the basis that it is an established, internationally recognised standard) and good research practices provided to researchers, including how it is provided, who provides it, and with what frequency;
To understand the perceived need and quality of such training;
To understand what topics are covered and whether they align with the researchers’ needs (as identified by them).
The survey, open till mid September, is a collaborative endeavour between National Academy of Sciences, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, and other renowned educational institutions in India.
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