Hosted by MIT Vishwaprayag University, Solapur (India)
In collaboration with Aalborg Centre for Problem-Based Learning in Engineering Science and Sustainability under the auspices of UNESCO, Aalborg University, Denmark, and in partnership with IUCEE.
Regional Research Symposium on PBL --a biannual event-- provides academia in higher education a platform for sharing evidence-based practices, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, supporting professional development, and advancing partnerships.
The fourth Regional Research Symposium on PBL (RRSPBL 2026) will be held from November 19 -21, 2026, at IISER, Pune, India.
RRSPBL 2026 is Hosted by MIT Vishwaprayag University, Solapur (India) in collaboration with Aalborg Centre for Problem-Based Learning in Engineering Science and Sustainability, Aalborg University, Denmark and in partnership with IUCEE - (Indo Universal Collaboration for Engineering Education).
RRSPBL 2026 focuses on how PBL can be adapted, scaled, and researched in Indian and regional contexts to address local societal challenges, enhance employability, and interdisciplinary complex problem-solving. The symposium invites educators and researchers to share evidence-based practices and research that advance PBL in engineering and other disciplines. We invite industry partners to share their best practices for real-world projects and mentorship that can inform curriculum design, along with employability insights for , innovation and sustainability. based practices and research that advance PBL in engineering and other disciplines. We invite industry partners to share their best practices for real-world projects and mentorship that can inform curriculum design, along with employability insights for entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Meet the confirmed speakers and guests for RRSPBL 2026. Select a speaker to view their details.
Pro Vice-Chancellor & President
Curtin Singapore
Expertise: PBL, Industry-based Learning, Technology in Education, Academic Integrity, Student Learning Support
Director of Learning and Teaching
Curtin Singapore
Expertise: STEM Education, Accreditation and Quality, Project and Problem-Based Learning, Curriculum Design and Review
Assistant Professor, UCPBL
Aalborg University, Denmark
Expertise: Inter-disciplinary PBL
Associate Professor, UCPBL
Aalborg University, Denmark
Expertise: Digital and Cultural Transformation of Higher Education
Department of Sustainability and Planning
Aalborg University, Denmark
Expertise: Problem-Based Learning (PBL), Higher Education, Student Well-being, Psychological Safety, Qualitative Research and Educational Development
Co-Founder, Biomimicry India
Biomimicry Educator, Innovation
Consultant and Architect
Expertise: Biomimicry Education, Innovation, Architecture, Sustainability and Systems Thinking
Prashant Dhawan is a biomimicry educator, innovation consultant, architect and Co-founder of Biomimicry India, the country's pioneering organisation dedicated to biomimicry education, research and innovation.
He is the first Indian—and among the first 18 professionals globally—to earn a Master of Science in Biomimicry from Arizona State University, USA, and the first Indian to be recognised as a Biomimicry Professional by the Biomimicry Institute, USA. He also holds an MBA from the Indian School of Business and a Bachelor of Architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi.
Since co-founding Biomimicry India in 2012, he has delivered more than 250 lectures, workshops, keynote talks and university courses, reaching over 25,000 students, researchers, educators, designers, engineers, architects, entrepreneurs and industry professionals.
His mission is to help researchers, innovators, educators and decision-makers learn from nature to create sustainable, resilient and future-ready solutions.
Founder and CEO, Sifiso Learning Group
Future Nation Schools
South
Africa
Expertise: PBL, Leadership, Strategy and Entrepreneurship
Dr. Sizwe Errol Nxasana is a renowned South African business leader, social entrepreneur, and education innovator with a distinguished career spanning corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and social impact.
He earned his PhD in Education from the UNESCO PBL Centre at Aalborg University, Denmark, in May 2025. He founded Sizwe & Co, the first black-owned audit practice in KwaZulu-Natal, and later co-founded Nkonki Sizwe Ntsaluba, now SizweNtsalubaGobodo (SNG Grant Thornton).
He subsequently served as CEO of Telkom SA and later as CEO of FirstRand Banking Group before retiring from corporate life in 2015.
He is the founder of the Sifiso Learning Group, an integrated education ecosystem focused on reimagining African education, with project-based learning at its core.
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education
Purdue
University
Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Expertise: Service Learning
Director and Professor, UCPBL
Aalborg University, Denmark
Expertise: Institutional Transformation via PBL
College of Education for the Future
Beijing Normal University
(Zhuhai), China
Expertise: Comparative Education, PBL Theory and Teaching, PBL Training
Select a date to view the programme for that day.
Inaugural Address: Prof. Xiangyun Du, Director and Professor, UCPBL, Aalborg University, Denmark
Prof. Alex Stojcevski, Pro VC and President, Curtin University, Singapore
Prof. William Oakes, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, 150th Anniversary Professor, Professor of Engineering Education, College of Engineering, Purdue University, USA
Three parallel sessions
Three parallel sessions
Moderator: Prof. Sadagopan, Former Director, International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B)
Panellists: To be determined
Authors are invited to submit an extended abstract aligned to the submission tracks listed below. All submissions will be handled via EasyChair.
We invite submissions for PBL-based curricular interventions for the following tracks:-
All accepted papers will be published in a Special issue of the Journal of Engineering Education Transformations (JEET). JEET is a Scopus-indexed Journal (http://www.journaleet.in/). For queries on paper submission, please email at papers.rrspbl@mitvpu.ac.in
For queries: papers.rrspbl@mitvpu.ac.in
| Sl.No | Milestone | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Call for Papers | March 15, 2026 |
| 2 | Abstract Submission Deadline | May 15, 2026 |
| 3 | Abstract Review Outcome | June 15, 2026 |
| 4 | Full Paper Submission Deadline | August 15, 2026 |
| 5 | Communication of Full Paper Review Outcomes (Author Registration Begins - Early Bird) | October 15, 2026 |
| 6 | Camera-Ready Papers Due | October 30, 2026 |
| 7 | Symposium Dates (RRSPBL 2026) | November 19-21, 2026 |
Registration fees are listed below in a standard fee table. Early Bird pricing starts from September 1, 2026.
| Category | Participant Type | Early Bird Fee (Sep 1-30, 2026) |
Regular Registration (Oct 1-30, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Institutional registration (India) | Group of 4 members (delegates only) from the same institution | INR 25,000 | INR 30,000 |
| Individual registration (India) | Author and Co-author | Not Applicable | INR 9,000 |
| Individual registration (India) | Delegate (Academic/Industry) | INR 8,000 | INR 9,000 |
| Individual registration (Foreign) | Delegate | USD 100 | USD 150 |
| Individual registration (Foreign) | Author | Not Applicable | USD 150 |
Institutional registration (India)
Author/Co-author Registration – Individual registration – India
Individual registration – Foreign
Note on registration charges
Early bird and regular registration timelines
| Method | Charge |
|---|---|
| UPI | Nil |
| Net Banking | INR 23.60 / transaction |
| Debit Card (≥ INR 2,000) | 0.90% / transaction |
| Credit Card | 1.20% / transaction |
For any queries on registration, please email to registration.rrspbl@mitvpu.ac.in.