The Association of Indian Universities is a unique service organization of the universities in India which deals with all kinds of activities related to higher education, national and international.  The year 2006 was a year of historical significance for the Indian higher education system and an eventful year for the AIU. Coinciding the sesquicentennial foundation year celebrations of three mother universities, the modern Indian higher education has also entered its 150^th year in 2006. To co-celebrate the event along with the mother universities, we took special initiatives at AIU and organized different activities like publishing special issues of the University News for the respective foundation day functions of mother universities and a special issue on the theme '150 Years of Indian Higher Education' for the AIU Annual Meeting. We have organized the AIU Annual Vice Chancellors' Meeting and the National Seminar on '150 Years of Indian Higher Education' at University of Mumbai. The National Inter University Youth Festival is allotted to University of Madras, and International Sports events in all these three universities viz., South Asian Inter-university Sports Tournament --- Football at University of Calcutta, Cricket at University of Mumbai and Tennis at University of Madras.

 At international level, the AIU had its strong presence both quality and quantity wise, in the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), Conference of Executive Heads, held between 9-12 April at Adelaide Australia.  AIU's student centric activities were appreciated by the ACU.  We had very positive interaction with the Vice Chancellors Association of France, the La Conference des Presidents d'Universite (CPU) which has culminated in signing of MoA for cooperation in higher education.  Similarly we had active interface with Australian Vice Chancellors Committee (AVCC) and we have renewed the MoU for the third time. We have joined as the member of Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI) established by UNESCO at the Technical University of Catalonia.

During last calendar year, there was addition of five member institutions to the Association, four Indian universities and one Associate Member from Bhutan.  To create interface of universities with industries we have signed a MoU with M/s Sakal Group of Newspapers, Pune to organize educational conferences of South Asian nations with the support of industries and we had successfully organized the first event i.e., EDUCON 2006 on Higher Education at Bangkok.  To create international platform for promotion of sports a MoU was signed with M/s. Stump Vision, Bangalore.  To promote peace and harmony with neighbouring countries, we have launched the South Asian University Youth Festival in February 2006 at University of Jammu. In 2007, it will be held at SNDT Women's University, Mumbai.

 Data collection on student enrolment in higher education including foreign students and foreign providers in India was the new addition to the Data Base Unit. To continue the commitment for promotion of gender equity, we have initiated 'National Seminar on Women Studies in India' and have organized two national seminars during the year; first at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and second at Utkal University, Bhubaneswar.  Another area which needs attention of the higher education system is, improving quality of basic science education in the conventional universities.  One experiment has already been started with the help of IIT Mumbai and conventional universities in Maharashtra.  We would like to expand it to different parts of the country.

Over the last three years, the University News has made visible progress in its weekly circulation which has gone up from 4800 to 6200. During 2006, apart from special issues on mother universities, we have brought out special issues of the University News, on 'Education and Indian Cultural Heritage', 'Environmental Concerns', and '150 Years of Indian Higher Education'. The 31^st edition of Universities Handbook was published in two volumes with face lift of the presentation, with separate international edition. 

 As a country, we are ambitious to be the global leader and a developed nation by 2020.  Keeping this in view, we are trying to create a platform for capacity building of the major stake-holders of the university system with the help of successful Indian industries. For continuous improvement of skills for effective functioning, capacity building programme has been initiated for the AIU Staff with the help of All India Management Association, New Delhi.

 As has been projected by the National Knowledge Commission, we need at least about 1500 universities to meet the requirement of higher education. The Association is actively representing different forums to expand the Indian higher education and to have budgetary provisions through government as well as private public partnership. 2006 was an active year for preparation of 11^th Five Year Plan for youth policies by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Government of India, and AIU played active role in this regard. 

As the next financial year is going to be first year of 11^th Five Year Plan, we hope there would be new vision projected for the development of higher education in the country.  At this very important transition, the AIU will play its important role, with the dynamic leadership of the new President, Prof. Sanat Kumar Mukherjee, who is an eminent Scientist and a successful educational administrator and with the help of vibrant Standing Committee, sensitive members of the organization and committed staff of the AIU.

Dayanand Dongaonkar