Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU), Raipur, has taken a significant leap in global higher education by signing a Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Global University Innovation and Cooperation. The agreement was formalised at the prestigious Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific (AUAP) World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) Impact Summit 2026, held at the ICONSIAM Convention Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 9 and 10, 2026.
This landmark MoU brings together 20 leading universities from South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the United Arab Emirates. It aims to create a robust framework for long-term institutional partnerships focused on innovation, research, sustainable development, and academic excellence. The pact underscores the growing importance of cross-border collaboration in addressing contemporary challenges in higher education.
Representing HNLU at the summit, Prof. (Dr.) VC Vivekanandan, Vice Chancellor, actively participated in the Innovation Case Study session. He presented a detailed case study on the university’s pioneering Research Hub & Spoke (R-HaS) model. The presentation highlighted HNLU’s interdisciplinary research ecosystem, externally funded projects, and its strong commitment to producing research with tangible societal impact.
In his address, Prof. Vivekanandan emphasised the strategic importance of the MoU. He stated, “HNLU is making impactful strides in showcasing and disseminating its research initiatives through meaningful engagement with regional and global university associations. Signing this multilateral MoU is a strategic milestone in expanding our international academic partnerships”.
He further added that productive discussions were held with AUAP Secretary General Prof. Dr. Anoop Swarup and Executive Secretary Dr. Supaporn Chuangchid. These conversations explored future collaborative opportunities, including joint conferences, research projects, faculty exchanges, and various academic programmes.
The two-day summit, themed 'University Innovation in Partnership with Government: Policy, Mechanism, and Impact', convened university leaders, policymakers, innovators, and academicians from across the globe. It served as a dynamic platform for sharing best practices in institutional innovation and forging stronger global networks in higher education.
Under Article 3 of the Multilateral MoU, the participating institutions have committed to extensive collaboration across multiple domains. These include joint research and innovation projects, academic programme development, innovation case studies, conferences and workshops, faculty/student/researcher mobility programmes, institutional policy innovation, entrepreneurship, startup collaboration, and the overall development of innovation ecosystems.
This initiative aligns perfectly with HNLU’s vision of becoming a globally recognised centre for legal education and research. By joining hands with universities from diverse regions, HNLU is poised to enhance its international footprint while contributing meaningfully to sustainable development goals through academic synergy.
The Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific (AUAP), one of the oldest regional university associations, continues to play a pivotal role in promoting academic cooperation, leadership development, quality assurance, and internationalisation across Asia and the Pacific. Similarly, the World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) evaluates institutions based on their real-world impact in innovation, social responsibility, entrepreneurship, industrial engagement, and ethical leadership moving beyond traditional research metrics.
For HNLU Raipur, this multilateral MoU represents more than just a formal agreement; it is a strategic step towards building a future-ready academic ecosystem. The university’s Research Hub & Spoke model, which fosters collaborative research across disciplines, is expected to gain greater visibility and support through these new international alliances.
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Experts believe such partnerships will facilitate knowledge exchange, joint funding opportunities, and student mobility, ultimately benefiting the academic community and society at large. As higher education institutions worldwide face evolving challenges from technological disruption to sustainability concerns collaborative frameworks like this MoU become essential for driving meaningful innovation.
HNLU’s proactive engagement at the AUAP-WURI Impact Summit 2026 reinforces its position as a forward-thinking national law university committed to excellence in legal education and research on the global stage. The university community looks forward to the tangible outcomes that will emerge from this multilateral cooperation in the coming years.
