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- Building AI Nations: Distinguished Lecture 2026
About
Where technology meets geopolitics, and policy meets philosophy, meaningful education begins.
The UPES School of Liberal Studies & Humanities hosted Prof. Rajiv Kumar from the University of Foreign Studies, South Korea, and Director of the India-Korea Forum, for a thought-provoking session under its Distinguished Lecture Series.
The lecture, titled “Building AI Nations: East Asia’s Model and Its Global Implications,” examined how East Asian nations are strategically developing artificial intelligence ecosystems—not merely as technological frameworks, but as instruments of economic strength, governance innovation and global influence.
The session offered students an interdisciplinary perspective by connecting International Relations, Public Policy, Economics, Technology and Society, and Global Diplomacy.
Objective
The session aimed to help students understand artificial intelligence as more than a technological advancement. It encouraged them to examine AI as a transformative force influencing governance models, economic strategies, policymaking and global power structures.
Through this interdisciplinary academic dialogue, students developed greater awareness of how countries are integrating AI into their national development strategies and positioning themselves within an increasingly technology-driven global order.
The lecture also strengthened essential competencies such as critical thinking, policy literacy, analytical reasoning and global awareness, preparing students to engage thoughtfully with the political, economic and societal implications of emerging technologies.
Who Participates
International Relations Students
Students examining how artificial intelligence, diplomacy and geopolitical strategy are reshaping relationships between nations.
Public Policy Students
Learners exploring the role of artificial intelligence in governance, regulation, policymaking and institutional transformation.
Economics Students
Students studying the relationship between technological innovation, economic competitiveness and national development.
Technology & Society Enthusiasts
Students and academicians interested in the social, ethical and philosophical implications of emerging technologies.
Location
Media & Social Highlights
The Distinguished Lecture Series explored how East Asian nations are building artificial intelligence ecosystems as instruments of economic strength, governance innovation and global influence. The session connected technology with international relations, public policy, economics and global diplomacy.
