Bangalore Archdiocese

By Dr Christo Selvan

Bengaluru, Aug 23, 2024 – St. Joseph’s University, Bengaluru, celebrated the vibrant showcase of academic and technological innovation with the successful completion of ELIXIR 2.0, an open day event that provided a comprehensive overview of the university's diverse programs and career guidance opportunities. Held from 9 AM to 4:30 PM on August 19, the event drew significant participation from students, educators, and industry professionals.

Event Overview

ELIXIR 2.0 was hosted by St Joseph’s University across multiple academic disciplines featured a total of 133 exhibits, displayed by both University and PUC students covering a wide range of subjects from Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Commerce, Management, Information Technology, Communication and media studies, Social work, Languages and Literatures, Research, NCC, Counselling, Sports and fun. The event also includes Principal Conclave and Higher secondary school and PUC teachers Faculty Development Programme.

Visitor Engagement

The event attracted a notable turnout of 878 students from various schools and PUCs, including Sri Gurukula International School, Mega International School, Iqra International School, California Public School, Brooklyn National Public School, Jayanagar, SJIPUC, SJEPUC, Cathedral School, Lumbini PUC, Primus B School, Parikrama Humanity, St Joseph’s School CBSE to name a few. These students, accompanied by faculty members from SJU, were given guided tours of the campus and had the opportunity to interact with the diverse range of exhibits. The exhibits offered insights into different academic disciplines and provided valuable career guidance. Along with the outside student participation, approximately 2,000 University students visited the exhibitions.

Inauguration

This year, the Chief Guest for ELIXIR 2.0 was Dr Gopal Krishna B IAS Deputy Secretary Expenditure in Finance Department, Govt of Karnataka and Mohd Rafi Pasha-GST DC and KAS official. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony and a congratulatory message by the Chief Guest, the exhibition officially commenced at 9:45 AM.

Highlights from the Exhibition

The Philatelists and Numismatists Association (P.A.N.A) showcased a remarkable collection of currency notes, coins, and postal stationery, including rare items with significant market values.A display by BBA students illustrated the Versatility of Marketing Through Generations, tracing the evolution of food delivery marketing strategies from the past to future trends. The Department of Economics presented an insightful exhibit on the Union Budget 2024, focusing on economic outlooks, tax brackets, and subsidies. The School of India unveiled the NAVI Bot, an advanced assistive robot designed to aid visually impaired individuals through real-time navigation and object detection.

The Department of Statistics explored the Hidden Markov Model (HMM) and its applications in various fields such as gambling, queuing theory, and natural language processing. The Emergency Signal System exhibit demonstrated a new radar-based system designed to enhance the efficiency of emergency response vehicles, potentially revolutionizing traffic management in congested cities like Bengaluru.

Principals' Conclave

As a part of Conclave 28 School Principals were invited to have a panel discussion on ‘Connecting the dots. Dr. Christo Selvan, Convenor emphasized on the importance of bridging the gap between secondary education and higher education. The conclave aimed to bridge the gap between higher secondary schools and universities like St. Joseph’s University (SJU), ensuring a smoother transition for students and better alignment of educational objectives.

One of the central themes discussed was the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on Indian education. Dr. Selvan highlighted AI's transformative potential, stressing the importance of integrating AI into the curriculum to enhance learning outcomes and prepare students for the demands of the future. The main objective is to equip students with the skills needed to navigate a rapidly changing technological landscape, thereby ensuring their competitiveness in a global context.

Mrs Anupama Ramachandra Principal, Delhi Public School Electronic city spoke on “Future Trends in AI Education”, Mrs Anitha Bijesh Principal Delhi Public School North spoke on “Early Exposure to Higher Education” and Mrs Hamsa Venugopal, Managing Director, New Baldwin group of educations spoke on “Technology Integration and Digital Literacy”. Open House Panel Discussion led by Ms. Amita Priyadarshini and Ms. Rupinder on “Building collaborative Pathways” addressing on Enhancing Diversity and Inclusivity, Improving Academic Excellence, Curriculum Design and Integration, Successful Collaboration strategies and strategies for enhancing educational outcomes through collaboration, inclusivity, and innovative curriculum design.

High School Teachers' Faculty Development Programme

A group of 78 high school teachers from 32 schools attended a Faculty Development programme led by Dr.Mrinmoyee at Xavier Hall from 11am. Mr. Shashank S. from Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru was the resource person and he spoke on how to integrate AI into education and teaching pedagogy.

Valedictory Ceremony

During the Valedictory Ceremony Dr Ance welcomed and Vice Chancellor Dr Fr Victor Lobo SJ addressed the gathering. Dr. Vaishanavi announced the winners of various exhibits placed by the students. The rolling trophy winners (SJU) of the exhibits is school of language and literature and the overall trophy winners is Delhi Public School. At the end Dr Asha gave vote of thanks and the ELIXIR 2.0 was concluded with the National Anthem.

ELIXIR 2.0 successfully showcased the dynamic academic environment at St. Joseph’s University, Bengaluru, while facilitating valuable interactions between students, educators, and industry experts. The event underscored the university’s commitment to providing comprehensive education and career guidance, equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary for future success.