SRM University–AP had the honour of hosting Prof. Sankalp Chaturvedi and Prof. Sven Mikolon from Imperial College Business School, London, for an extended interaction focused on research collaboration, social impact, and institution-building. Their visit marked a significant opportunity for SRM University–AP to engage with one of the world’s leading institutions and explore pathways for long-term academic and research partnerships.

Prof. Sankalp Chaturvedi, Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Leadership, also serves as the Associate Dean of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and Co-Director of the Gandhi Centre for Inclusive Innovation.

During his address, Prof. Chaturvedi spoke extensively about:  His longstanding journey at Imperial since 2014, progressing from Assistant Professor to Professor in 2021, Leading the Gandhi Centre for Inclusive Innovation, a hub dedicated to creating tangible, socially meaningful impact in emerging economies,  The growing importance of people and culture in universities, with an emphasis on building enabling, inclusive, and high-trust environments.

Prof. Sven Mikolon, Associate Professor of Marketing and Co-Director of the Gandhi Centre for Inclusive Innovation, provided a glimpse into his research on: Frontline marketing and human–machine interaction, Service dynamics, customer experience, and behavioural marketing, AI-driven analytics in the non-profit sector, He spoke at length about his work with major non-profit organisations in Central Europe and India, including UNICEF, where he is developing:

The discussions that followed focused on designing structured, purpose-driven collaborations between SRM University–AP and Imperial College London. Key themes included:

• Identifying institutional needs and priority areas for impactful collaboration
• Strengthening research through targeted faculty-to-faculty connections
• Creating operational models for sustained partnerships
• Possible engagement through workshops, research training, joint publication efforts, and student exposure programmes
• Opportunities in public health, nutrition, AI applications, and interdisciplinary problem-solving

The visiting professors emphasised that successful global partnerships require clear deliverables, faculty alignment, and long-term institutional commitment.

The session was attended by Prof. Ch Satish Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ranjit Thapa, Dean – Research, Dr R Premkumar, Registrar, Deans of Schools, Members of the IRHS Team, Faculty from the Department of Management.

The leadership team shared SRM University–AP’s rapid progress, emerging centres of excellence, and aspirations for global academic integration. The discussions highlighted the complementary strengths between the two institutions and the potential for impactful partnerships that benefit students, faculty, and society at large.

The visit of Prof. Sankalp Chaturvedi and Prof. Sven Mikolon marks a meaningful step in expanding SRM University–AP’s global academic network. Their insights on inclusive innovation, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and socially relevant research resonated strongly with the University’s mission. The dialogue set a foundation for future joint initiatives that can drive high-impact research, capacity building, and collaborative learning.

SRM University–AP looks forward to strengthening this partnership and working closely with Imperial College London to create research and educational pathways that contribute to India and the world.