The two-day Indo-Kenyan International Conference on “Advancements in Management and Information Technology” commenced on May 10, 2025, at Poornaprajna Institute of Management, Udupi. The event was jointly organized by Poornaprajna Institute of Management Udupi, India and Management University of Africa, Kenya.
The inaugural ceremony was graced by Dr. G. S. Chandrashekar, Honorary Secretary of the College Governing Council, who officially inaugurated the conference. In his address, Dr. Chandrashekar highlighted the importance of research in the developmental journey of any nation. He emphasized that research acts as the foundation for innovation and enables individuals to develop critical skills and insightful knowledge that can be applied effectively in professional and personal life. He expressed confidence that this collaborative initiative would strengthen academic cooperation between the two institutions.
Dr. Washington Okeyo, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Management, Africa, reflected on the long-standing academic ties between Indian institutions and African universities. He emphasized the need for technological awareness and optimal utilization of innovations in the management profession in today’s technology-driven era. He affirmed that The Management University of Africa commits to sustained research collaboration with Poornaprajna Institute of Management.
Dr. P. S. Aithal, Director of Poornaprajna Institute of Management who presided over the function told that interdisciplinary research integrating management and technology is essential to generate impactful solutions for industry. He emphasized that such international conferences foster innovative thinking and facilitate the exchange of ground-breaking ideas.
During the inauguration, the “Book of Abstracts” featuring all research papers presented at the conference was released. Additionally, a proceedings volume compiling papers from a previous conference held in December-2024 was also published.
Academic Dean, Management University of Africa, Dr. Juster Nyaga, and Ms. Olivia Chepkemboi, official from the Management University of Africa, conveyed their best wishes to the organizing team. The convener of the conference, Dr. Bharat V, gave a prelude to the conference and welcomed the gathering. Dr. J. Sathpathy, Professor Emeritus, Poornaprajna Institute of Management, Udupi, and Dr. S. Sandhya, Professor at Nitte School of Management, Bengaluru, who were also the conference secretaries, were present during the inaugural ceremony.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from MCA & MBA students. The program began with the invocation led by Ms. Bhargavi and Ms. Sowmya of first year MCA.The inaugural session was hosted by second year MCA student Ms. Maithri, while Prof. Venugopala Rao A S, Head of the MCA Department, proposed the vote of thanks.
Inaugural session was followed by two keynote sessions by Dr. Nandan Prabhu, Associate Professor TAPMI, Manipal and Dr. Ramakrishna M, Associate Professor, MIT, Manipal, The post lunch session was contributed paper presentations by delegates from various academic institutions. These sessions were chaired by Dr. Juster Nyaga, Academic Dean, Management University of Africa. During the session, Dr. Washington Okeyo, Vice-Chancellor, Management University of Africa, actively participated and gave his sugession to the delegates and encouraged them to pursue research with integrity and global relevance.
On the second day of the conference, a major milestone was achieved to strengthen the association between Poornaprajna Institute of Management and Management University of Africa (MUA), Kenya through the inauguration of the Poornaprajna Centre for Neuro Management and Strategic Brain Research at the institute premises. This was inaugurated by Dr. Washington Okeyo, a distinguished academician and Vice- Chancellor of MUA. In his valedictory address, Dr. Okeyo shared the vision and mission of the Management University of Africa and elaborated on the institution’s activities. He also delivered an insightful talk on the application of Generic AI in course design and the development of innovative teaching aids.
As a keynote speaker, Dr. Robin Sindhe, Director of the MBA program at VCET, Puttur, addressed the gathering on “Indo-Kenyan Bilateral Ties: Fostering Scope for Contemporary Research”, emphasizing the mutual benefits of academic and research collaborations between the two countries.
Dr. J. Sathpathy from PIM and Dr. Sandhya, NITTE-SOM, Bengaluru emphasized the importance and future vision of the newly inaugurated Centre for Neuro Management and Strategic Brain Research, highlighting its potential to influence both academic research and managerial practices.
CA T. Prashanth Holla, Honorary Treasurer of PIM, graced the occasion as Chief Guest. In his address, he extended his best wishes and emphasized the relevance of international conferences in enriching academic discourse and enhancing institutional visibility.
Delivering the presidential address, Dr. P.S. Aithal, Director of PIM, stressed the importance of forging academic collaborations with international institutions. He also announced plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Management University of Africa to deepen ties and facilitate future academic exchanges.
Kenyan student participants enthusiastically shared their experiences, expressing appreciation for the opportunity to engage with peers and scholars from India.
The conference proceedings for the two days were presented by Dr. Naveen Kumar, Associate Professor PIM. The entire program was coordinated by Dr. Bharathi Karanth,
Dr. Bharath, Convener of the conference, concluded the event by proposing the vote of thanks.
