Symbiosis Skills and Professional University (SSPU), Pune has launched a UNESCO Chair on Gender Inclusion and Skill Development. The Chair was formally inaugurated by Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, during the International Conference on “Women Leading the Future of Work” organised in collaboration with UNESCO by SSPU on April 24.
Aditi Tatkare, Minister for Women & Child Development, Government of Maharashtra and Monica Nagelgaard, Consul General of Norway, Dr. Swati Mujumdar, Pro-Chancellor, SSPU were also present.
Addressing the gathering, the minister said, “India’s growth trajectory will be defined not only by scale but by how inclusively we empower our people. Initiatives like this UNESCO Chair ensure that women are at the forefront of emerging sectors such as semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and new-age technologies. When skilling is aligned with industry demand and grounded in equity, it becomes a powerful driver of both economic progress and social transformation.”
Ms. Aditi Tatkare appreciated the initiative on reaching women from underserved communities and enabling them with skills that lead to real opportunities. Such initiatives are critical for building confidence, independence, and long-term empowerment among women.
The International Conference on “Women Leading the Future of Work”, brought together global institutions, policymakers, industry leaders, and academia to deliberate on strengthening women’s participation in sunrising sectors and future job roles. The successful launch of the UNESCO Chair and the international conference mark a significant step toward positioning India as a global leader in skill development and inclusive workforce transformation. The Conference had distinct themes focussing on the future of Jobs in emerging sunrise sectors such as Defence Technology, Robotics Industry 4.0, AI, Semi-Conductor and Global Capacity Centres. Over 40+ distinguished industry champions from various companies who contributed to this Conference as keynote speakers and panellists. The conference featured keynote addresses by global experts including: Ms. Mary Overington, Trade and Investment Commissioner (South Asia), Mr. Gabriel Bordado, Skills Specialist, International Labour Organization (ILO), Ms. Soledad Patiño, UNESCO Global Skills Academy, Paris and Ms. Priscilla Wanjiku Gatonye, UNESCO-UNEVOC, Germany among other International and National dignitaries.
