"Anant National University and the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education co-host the ICERM 2025 conference, focusing on cultivating a uniquely Indian research initiative"
In a significant move towards equitable and inclusive education, Anant National University, India's premier design university, has partnered with the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE) to launch the Indigenous Consciousness Methodology Education Research Project (ICER). This ambitious research initiative is set to be launched during the academic year 2025-2026.
ICER's primary objective is to advance and implement Indigenous Consciousness research methodologies that honour local knowledge systems, emphasize community-engaged practices, and promote sustainable and equitable educational frameworks. By centring Indigenous perspectives in education policy development, ICER aims to create culturally responsive and impactful learning models.
This initiative aligns closely with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which advocates for inclusive, locally grounded education models that preserve and promote indigenous knowledge systems. The project reflects Anant National University's mission to drive innovative, locally relevant education methodologies and materials rooted in India’s vibrant local cultures, regional diversities, and national aspirations.
The collaboration between Anant National University and Penn GSE involves cooperative research, international exchanges, and the exchange of academic materials and initiatives. The partnership was further strengthened through the Indigenous Consciousness Education Research Methodology Convening held on July 25-26, 2025, where scholars and practitioners from both institutions came together to set the foundation for the project.
Dr Leland S McGee, Adjunct Assistant Professor at Penn GSE and Senior Associate Director of the GSE Office of Student Success, emphasized the importance of indigenous knowledge systems in designing education, policy, and systems for future generations. Dr Diti Vyas, Associate Professor at the School of Creative Practices and Entrepreneurship (SCoPE) at Anant National University, stated that the convening aimed to create an educational framework that listens deeply, acts justly, and honors all.
The ongoing partnership between Anant National University and Penn GSE builds on their previous collaboration in hosting The Future of Learning Collaborative in 2023, which led to the launch of an influential White Paper. The collaboration also benefits from the University of Pennsylvania's global engagement grant programme, which supports a broad range of research, teaching, service, and engagement activities.
Anant National University has been recognised as the Centre of Excellence by the Government of Gujarat, and it has received the prestigious '5-Star Rating' in the category of Architecture and a '4-Star Rating' in the University category in the Gujarat State Institutional Rating Framework (GSIRF) 2023-24.
In summary, ICER is a research project focused on Indigenous Consciousness Methodologies that respect and incorporate indigenous knowledge and practices. It aims to inform and influence educational policy and learning frameworks in India by centring indigenous worldviews. The project reflects the vision of India’s NEP 2020 for inclusive, culturally relevant education. It promotes community engagement and sustainable educational models, fostering equity and acknowledgement of local contexts. The collaboration exemplifies a long-term, respectful, community-based research approach similar to best practices seen in other Indigenous research collaborations worldwide, emphasizing trust-building and partnership over time for impactful outcomes.
[1] Anant National University's official website: https://www.anantu.edu.in/ [2] University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education's official website: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/ [3] The Future of Learning Collaborative White Paper: https://www.anantu.edu.in/Documents/The-Future-of-Learning-Collaborative-White-Paper.pdf [4] Indigenous Consciousness Education Research Methodology Convening announcement: https://www.anantu.edu.in/news/anant-national-university-and-university-of-pennsylvania-graduate-school-of-education-host-indigenous-consciousness-education-research-methodology-convening [5] Best practices in Indigenous research collaborations: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6317571/
- The Indigenous Consciousness Methodology Education Research Project (ICER) at Anant National University, allied with the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE), aims to establish equitable and inclusive education frameworks through a focus on indigenous knowledge systems and local practices.
- ICER's objectives include advancing indigenous research methodologies, emphasizing community-engaged practices, and advocating for culturally responsive, sustainable, and impactful learning models that align with India’s National Education Policy 2020.
- This collaboration, encompassing cooperative research, international exchanges, and academic resource sharing, is an extension of their previous partnership in hosting The Future of Learning Collaborative in 2023.
- By fostering trust-building and long-term partnerships, the partnership mirrors best practices in Indigenous research collaborations, reflecting a community-based approach designed for influential outcomes.
- The project, if successful, could potentially reshape education-and-self-development, policy-and-legislation, politics, online-education, general-news, and learning spheres by integrating indigenous worldviews and promoting equity, culture, and innovation in pedagogy.
