One day Symposium on ‘Bridging the Industry -Academia Gap: Leveraging AI and Technology in Pedagogy’

One day Symposium on ‘Bridging the Industry -Academia Gap: Leveraging AI and Technology in Pedagogy’

A symposium on “Bridging the Industry–Academia Gap: Leveraging AI and Technology in Pedagogy” was jointly organised by the School of Management and Business Studies (SMBS), Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), India, at Kochi on January 22, 2026.

The conference brought together academics, industry professionals and education partners to deliberate on the growing relevance of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in higher education and their impact on graduate employability.

The programme commenced with a welcome address by Dr. Santhosh P. Thampi, Professor, SMBS. The event was inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University, Prof. C.T. Aravinda Kumar, who emphasised the need for sustained collaboration between educational institutions and industry to nurture future-ready professionals.

Professor Johney Johnson, Head of the Department, SMBS, delivered the presidential address, highlighting the importance of curriculum innovation, quality assurance and closer academia–industry integration. A book titled “Sustainability in Business: Industry 5.0 Perspective” and the newsletter “The Business Beats” were released during the inaugural session. Dr. Suja T.V., Syndicate Member of the University, also addressed the gathering, underlining the role of academic governance in strengthening institutional quality.

The keynote address was delivered by Prabhanshu Mittal, Head – Education Partner Relationships, ACCA India, along with Althea Lee, Education Partner Relationships Lead (South), ACCA. They spoke on global professional qualifications, evolving industry expectations and the role of technology-enabled learning.

A panel discussion, featured  Prof. Dr. Gabriel Simon Thattil, President, Indian Accounting Association, Mr. Mittal,  Rijo Thomas, Recruitment leader EY Global Delivery Services (Kerala), and Jaxon Figarado HR Head , Data and analytics BFSI,  Tata Consultancy Services. The session was chaired by the Ms. Althea Lee ,Education Partners Relationship Lead, ACCA India  who initiated the discussion by raising concerns regarding the disconnect between conceptual knowledge imparted in academic institutions and its practical application in industry.

The programme witnessed the active participation of nearly 100 delegates, comprising teachers and research scholars from various universities and affiliated colleges, making the event a significant platform for academic–industry dialogue and knowledge exchange.

The panellists collectively observed that while many students possess strong theoretical understanding, they often struggle to apply AI knowledge in real-world contexts. Industry today expects graduates not merely to “know AI,” but to demonstrate application-oriented competencies, including problem-solving, contextual thinking, and effective human–AI interaction. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of prompt engineering as a critical skill in the development of AI-generated content.

Symposiyum Brochure