An MoU Cancelled Is an Opportunity Lost
D. V. Ramana | 10 June 2025 | The Wire
In a recent move, one of India’s top management institutes announced it was terminating its academic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turkey’s Sabancı University. The Indian Institute of Management-Kozhikode’s director claimed the decision was in line with “national interest,” emphasising values such as “mutual respect, strategic alignment, and shared national values.” Though the decision aligned with overall mood of the country, it also raised critical questions about the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in times of political unease in the country over incidents like the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Should academic institutions echo state policies, or should they operate as independent spaces for intellectual exchange and global cooperation?…