GBSRC Hosts 5th International Conference on Digital Transformation & Green Growth

Pune: February 27, 2026: The Global Business School and Research Centre (GBSRC), under the aegis of Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, successfully concluded its 5th International Conference on February 26–27, 2026. The conference, themed “Digital Transformation & Green Growth: Bridging Technology, Business and Policy for a Resilient World,” brought together global academicians, industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers on a dynamic virtual platform.

The two-day international conference served as a vibrant forum for deliberations on the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and governance. Scholars and practitioners from multiple countries participated in insightful discussions on how digital transformation and green growth can collaboratively build a resilient and sustainable global economy. All accepted and presented research papers will be published in Taylor & Francis Scopus-indexed conference proceedings, offering participants significant academic visibility and global recognition.

The conference was organized under the visionary leadership and guidance of Dr. P.D. Patil, Hon’ble Chancellor; Dr. Bhagyashree Patil, Pro Chancellor; Dr. Smita Jadhav, Hon’ble Secretary and Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth Society; and Dr. N.J. Pawar, Vice Chancellor of Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth. Their continued emphasis on research excellence and global engagement was reflected in the remarkable scale and impact of the event, which witnessed participation from 12 countries, the presentation of 135 research papers, and the presence of 26 distinguished national and international resource persons, making it a truly global platform for academic exchange and collaborative dialogue.

The conference witnessed an impressive lineup of distinguished national and international speakers. Among the eminent dignitaries were Bhimaraya Metri, Director of Indian Institute of Management Nagpur; Dr. Shrikant Patil, CEO of Maharashtra State Innovation Society; Prof. Bernardo Nicoletti from Temple University Rome; and Dr. Rameshwar Dubey from Montpellier Business School were the eminent speakers who delivered compelling perspectives on technology-driven growth and innovation ecosystems. It commenced with a visionary welcome address by Dr. N. J. Pawar, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth (DPU), who articulated the thought and purpose behind organizing the international conference. He emphasized the institution’s commitment to fostering dialogue at the intersection of technology, business, and policy, while highlighting DPU’s academic excellence, global collaborations, research advancements, and its growing reputation as a hub for innovation-driven education. His address set the tone for meaningful deliberations aimed at building a resilient and future-ready ecosystem. Dr. Smita Jadhav, Hon’ble Secretary and Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth Society; highlighted the ITC e-Choupal model as a landmark example of bridging technology with business intelligence to empower farmers, enhance transparency, and create inclusive market linkages. Building on the theme of technology-driven empowerment at the grassroots level, the discussion then expanded to India’s broader research and digital advancement landscape Prof. Bhimaraya Metri emphasized India’s immense prospects in research and development, noting that digital upgradation through emerging technologies such as 3D Printing and Artificial Intelligence can position the nation as a global innovation hub. Extending this conversation from digital capability to structured innovation frameworks, the focus then shifted to ecosystem development and commercialization Dr. Shrikant Patil stressed the strategic importance of innovation in rare earth sectors, district-level micro incubators, and effective patent commercialization through sustainable ecosystems fostered by the Maharashtra State Innovation Society. Providing an international outlook, Dr. Bernardo Nicoletti discussed AI’s predictive, generative, agentic, and embedded capacities, underscoring its transformative role in shaping intelligent enterprises and future-ready economies.

The global dimension of the conference was further strengthened by speakers including Dr. Soniya Billore from Linnaeus University; Dr. Sudhashini Nair from SEGi University; Dr. Dorsa Heidari of iBishop, Iran; Dr. Firoz Khan from Westford University College; Mr. David K K from Tongmyong University; Dr. Seth S. Frei from Texas State University; Dr. Deepti Soni from Mashtech Infotrellis, Canada; and Dr. Preeti Wadhwa from George Brown College.

Indian academic leaders who addressed the conference included Dr. Manjula Jain from Tirthankar Mahaveer University; Dr. K. Mathiyazhagan from Thiagarajar School of Management; Dr. Vani Laturkar from Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University; Dr. Rajiv Thakur from Mandsaur University; Dr. Kartik Dave from Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University; Dr. Gurdip Singh Batra from Desh Bhagat University; and Dr. Chandrahauns Chavan from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies.

Industry experts also enriched the sessions, including representatives from Akkodis, Mindwrks Global Technologies, PMI Pune-Deccan India Chapter, and HR leaders from the UAE, ensuring a strong academia–industry interface.

The conference addressed pressing global challenges through sub-themes such as Sustainable Business Models and Circular Economy, Digital Transformation and Industry 5.0, Green Technologies and Climate Resilience, AI and Big Data for Sustainable Development, Policy and Governance for Sustainable Development, Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Startups, Ethical Tech and Responsible Innovation, and cross-disciplinary approaches. Special emphasis was placed on the sustainability of internationalization in higher education.

Dr. Sachin Vernekar, Conference Chairperson and Professor Emeritus (Advisory) & Research Head at GBSRC, along with Dr. Manish Sinha, Conference Convenor and Director of GBSRC, highlighted the conference’s role in fostering cross-sectoral collaborations aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. They emphasized that the deliberations would contribute meaningfully toward building a resilient, inclusive, and decarbonized global future.

The successful culmination of the 5th International Conference reaffirmed GBSRC’s commitment to academic excellence, global partnerships, and transformative research aimed at bridging theory and practice in the pursuit of sustainable development.