National Forum to Integrate ESG, Sustainability, CSR and AI into Higher Education Governance
BENGALURU: India CSR has officially announced the India Responsible Education & AI Summit 2026 (REAIS 2026), a high-level national convening aimed at redefining the architecture of higher education in India. The summit will be held on May 14, 2026, in Bengaluru, bringing together leaders from academia, industry, government, and the development sector to shape a bold roadmap for responsible universities.
As India advances toward its vision of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047, higher education institutions are expected to play a transformative role. Universities must evolve beyond traditional academic structures and emerge as impact-driven institutions that embed sustainability, governance integrity, social responsibility, and artificial intelligence into their core systems. REAIS 2026 seeks to accelerate this transition.
“The future of India will be shaped in its universities. When campuses integrate responsibility with innovation, and ethics with artificial intelligence, they become engines of inclusive growth. REAIS 2026 is a call to collective leadership to build institutions worthy of a developed Bharat,” said Rusen Kumar, Founder, India CSR.
A Strategic Convergence of Academia, Industry and Policy
The summit will convene Vice Chancellors, University Presidents, Deans, CSR Heads, ESG and Sustainability Leaders, AI Innovators, policymakers, philanthropic foundations, and impact investors. The objective is to create actionable frameworks that integrate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) standards, sustainability principles, and AI innovation into governance, curriculum, research, and campus operations.
Indiaโs corporate sector is increasingly guided by ESG disclosures and sustainability-linked investments. At the same time, universities are under growing pressure to produce graduates who are not only employable but environmentally conscious, ethically grounded, and technology-ready. REAIS 2026 aims to bridge this gap by aligning corporate capital, public policy, and academic vision.
Key Focus Areas
The summit will deliberate on five core themes:
- Governance Transformation: Embedding ESG and AI principles into university leadership and reporting structures.
- Curriculum Innovation: Mainstreaming sustainability, climate literacy, ethics, social impact, and AI across disciplines.
- CSRโUniversity Collaboration: Unlocking structured CSR capital for research labs, scholarships, infrastructure, and community projects.
- Sustainable Campus Models: Advancing carbon-neutral campuses, renewable energy adoption, and green infrastructure.
- Impact Measurement & Reporting: Developing measurable ESG and social impact disclosure frameworks for higher education institutions.
From National Summit to Deliverables
Moving beyond discussion, REAIS 2026 is designed to produce concrete outcomes, including:
- Policy recommendations for integrating ESG and AI into higher education.
- A structured framework for CSRโUniversity partnerships.
- An institutional roadmap for responsible campus models.
- Development of national benchmarks for responsible education.
- Strengthened multi-sector collaboration across academia, industry, and government.
The summit will also recognize institutional excellence in sustainability, governance transparency, and innovative CSR collaborationsโestablishing national standards for responsible higher education.
A Call to Collective Leadership
The India Responsible Education & AI Summit 2026 is more than an eventโit is a national movement to position higher education as a central pillar of inclusive growth, ethical leadership, and technology-driven development. By fostering strategic partnerships and unlocking impact capital, the summit aims to ensure that Indian universities are future-ready and globally competitive.
Speakership, sponsorship, partnership, awards nominations, and participation proposals are now open.
Your expression of interest is invited: https://forms.gle/NiK9LT3igNkK8EBb8
Book your seat today: https://rzp.io/rzp/e5uRQXjn
For inquiries:
๐ 9981099555
๐ง biz@indiacsr.in
๐ indiacsr.in/reais
About India CSR
Founded in 2009, India CSR is a leading knowledge platform focused on Corporate Social Responsibility, sustainability, governance, and responsible business practices in India. Through national summits, research, publications, and policy dialogues, India CSR continues to shape the countryโs responsible development ecosystem.
