Ahmedabad University to Share Its Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Learning Model Through Global Innovation Sandbox

Technological disruption, shifting geopolitical realities, climate challenges, and the pressures of economic development are reshaping the world in unexpected ways. Universities everywhere are exploring what it means to prepare for a future defined by complexity and change.

At this juncture, solving complex problems demands the ability to bring different knowledge systems together and think critically across disciplines. For Ahmedabad University, the journey begins in its classrooms, embedded in its undergraduate education. Today, that experience is becoming part of a global conversation about the future of learning.

This sustained work led to Ahmedabad University's selection for the inaugural Innovation Sandbox. It is a 12-month peer-learning programme convened by the Future Universities Alliance, a global learning network incubated by Duke University. It brings together 49 institutions from 23 countries and five continents. These institutions will advance ambitious, institution-shaping work in higher education.

Ahmedabad University will participate in the Amplifying Signature Innovations pathway. This pathway brings together institutions with mature, high-impact innovations seeking to expand their reach. Through the programme, the University will explore how elements of its interdisciplinary Foundation Programme and studio-based learning model can be adapted, strengthened, and shared across different institutional contexts. It will also learn from the experiences of peer institutions worldwide.

Ahmedabad University will participate in monthly facilitated small-group sessions, structured milestone meetings, and the Global Summit in Durham, North Carolina. Through these engagements, the University will work alongside global peers on challenges related to institutional design, curriculum, credentials, pedagogy, access, and sustainable implementation.

“At the Innovation Sandbox, Ahmedabad University will contribute insights from its experience in building new education models with partners globally. We believe such collaborations are essential to prepare learners to think critically, navigate, and address real-world challenges,” said Professor Saptam Patel, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate College at Ahmedabad University.

The Innovation Sandbox brings together institutions that are tackling similar challenges in different contexts. "Innovation cannot thrive in isolation, nor can it stop at incremental change," said Alec D. Gallimore, Provost of Duke University. "By creating a platform for leaders to learn with and from one another, we help ensure that promising ideas spread and that institutions can take on the systemic challenges reshaping higher education."

For Ahmedabad University, participation in the Innovation Sandbox aligns closely with its mission of advancing interdisciplinary learning and preparing students to address increasingly complex global challenges.

More information about the Future Universities Alliance and the full list of participating institutions is available at https://futureuniversities.org.