Place, Space and the Making of a New Global University

Speakers: Sanam Arora, Joan Concannon, Asad Lalljee, Supriya Nagarajan, Vishakha Yaduvanshi and Amrita Sadarangani (chair) How can we forge vibrant new creative spaces that bring people and communities together across the globe? To celebrate the launch of the University of York’s Mumbai campus in India, our event brings together cultural leaders, diplomats and artists to explore the intersection of education, geography and the arts. Grounded in our 2026 festival theme, Place and Space, our expert panel will discuss how universities can help shape the creative and intellectual landscapes of great global cities. Join us to discover how these cross-continental creative connections are built and learn about our exciting vision to bring the York Festival of Ideas to Mumbai. Our speakers include Vishakha Yaduvanshi, Consul General of India; Assad Laljee, Curator for the Royal Opera House in Mumbai and CEO of AVID Learning; Sanam Arora, the Founder and Chair of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK; Supriya Nagarajan, one of the UK’s most sought-after Carnatic vocalists and Artistic Director of Manasamitra; and Joan Concannon, Director of York Festival of Ideas and Chief Reputation and Stakeholder Relations Officer at the University of York. Our event is co-curated with the University of York Mumbai and AVID Learning, and is chaired by Amrita Sadarangani, Chief Academic Services Officer at the University of York Mumbai.