Dubai, Nov 2 (IANS): Professor and Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) C. Raj Kumar has been felicitated with the Global Education Leaders Award for his contribution to research, innovation and institution building in higher education at the India-UAE Partnership Summit 2018 (IUPS) here.

Kumar was awarded by UAE Cabinet Minister of Tolerance Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan and Navdeep Suri, Ambassador of India to the UAE.

"I am truly humbled that the exemplary achievements of JGU have been truly recognised in the international arena. I have received this award on behalf of the faculty, students and staff of JGU as it is they who have enabled us to reach where we are today," Kumar said in a statement.

Kumar, a Rhodes scholar who studied at Oxford and Harvard Universities, became the Founding Vice Chancellor of JGU at the age of 34 in 2009.

He was also a key speaker at the two-day summit held from October 30-31, attended by over 400 delegates from the academia of India and UAE.

He highlighted the expansion of the Indian higher education sector and how it is being developed through the five critical initiatives that focuses on providing autonomy to universities; internationalisation and global engagement; research excellence and publications; role of the pubic and private sector; and holistic regulatory reforms.

"India is a young nation that has a significant demographic dividend and is now empowering its universities to build a knowledge society. There is enormous potential for partnerships between UAE and India," Kumar said.

IUPS is an event specifically designed for the promotion of bilateral investments between UAE and India. The focus sectors for IUPS 2018 were investments in 'Education' and 'SME & Skill Development'.