The conference was officially opened by Dr. Paramjeet Kaur Mangat, Principal of Lord Mahavira College of Education, Hamirghar, Punjab, India, who in her remarks emphasized the importance of cross-cultural and international collaboration and highlighted the use of technology in shaping and developing future educators.

In one of the engaging keynote sessions, Prof. Dr. H. Robby Habiba Abror, M.Hum., Dean of the Faculty of Ushuluddin and Islamic Thought at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, discussed “Reimagining Teacher Education through Culture and Technology: An Indonesian Perspective Resonating with NEP 2020.” He underscored the urgency of transforming teacher education in the face of global disruption and 21st-century demands, as well as how the Golden Indonesia 2045 Vision and the Merdeka Belajar (Freedom to Learn) policy shape a unique national context. The Dean emphasized the vital role of culture as the foundation of teacher education, including the implementation of local wisdom-based curricula and the relevance of Ki Hajar Dewantara’s educational philosophy, with technology acting as an accelerator. He also asserted an authentic synergy between culture and technology to create pedagogical innovation and a profile of future teachers who are adaptive, innovative, culturally rooted, and globally minded, while highlighting the resonance with India’s NEP 2020. One form of cross-learning from Indonesia for India stems from the strength of the Pancasila Philosophy and “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” (Unity in Diversity) as the basis for character education in our multicultural society.

Meanwhile, Dr. Deepti Arora, a lecturer at RCB College, Calgary, Canada, provided valuable contributions with her presentation on the “Role of Teachers in IKS” (Indian Knowledge System). In her discussion, Dr. Arora outlined how knowledge in IKS is viewed as interconnected (such as in Nyaya, Vedanta, and Samkhya). She emphasized that teachers in IKS serve as ‘gurus’ or facilitators of wisdom, rather than mere dispensers of information. Focus was placed on values, ethics, and self-realization as the core of education, with an emphasis on dialogue (samvaad) and experiential learning. Dr. Arora concluded that teachers act as a vital bridge between tradition and modernity within the IKS context.

This conference serves as a significant platform for rich dialogue and the exchange of various innovative ideas between India, Indonesia, and Canada. The presence of this conference also paves the way for the development of educational philosophies and teacher education models that are more resilient and relevant in this challenging global era. (Munawar Ahmad)