Thiagarajar School of Management (TSM), Madurai, is hosting a three-day International Conference on Frontiers of Sustainability – Global Responsibility for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (FOS 2026–GRIE) from January 22 to 24, 2026, at its campus. The conference brings together eminent academicians, industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers from India and across the globe to deliberate on sustainability-driven innovation and entrepreneurship.
The conference was formally inaugurated on Thursday with the lighting of the traditional lamp, followed by a welcome address by Prof. (Dr.) K. Mathiyazhagan, Conference Convenor and Chairperson, Research Centre, TSM. The official launch of FOS 2026–GRIE was followed by the presidential address by Prof. (Dr.) Murali Sambasivan, Director, TSM, who emphasized the role of responsible innovation in addressing global sustainability challenges.
The inaugural address and release of the conference proceedings were delivered by the Chief Guest, Prof. (Dr.) Bhimaraya Metri, Director, Indian Institute of Management Nagpur. He highlighted the need for academia–industry collaboration to drive impactful and sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems.
The event witnessed the participation of international co-organizers and scholars, including Dr. Isotilia Costa Melo (ICN Business School, France), Dr. Veronica Scuotto (University of Naples Federico II, Italy), Dr. Nachiappan Subramanian (University of Sussex, UK), and Dr. Ngo Nguyen Quynh Nhu (Ton Duc Thang University, Vietnam). Dr. Nikhil Tiwari, Chief Operating Officer, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd., attended as Guest of Honour.
A keynote address was delivered by Prof. (Dr.) Wim Vanhaverbeke, University of Antwerp, Belgium, Editor-in-Chief of Technovation (Elsevier), who spoke on open innovation and sustainability in global business contexts. The inaugural session concluded with a felicitation address by Shri B. T. Bangera, Chairman, TSM, and the vote of thanks by Prof. (Dr.) Selvalakshmi M., Principal, TSM.
The three-day conference features keynote lectures, editorial sessions, research paper presentations (offline and online), workshops on advanced research methodologies, multivariate analysis, generative AI, sustainable supply chains, Industry 4.0 to 5.0 transition, and manuscript development sessions led by editors of top international journals. A special Meet-the-Editors session provided young researchers with valuable insights into publishing in high-impact journals.
The conference aims to foster global dialogue on sustainability, innovation, and entrepreneurship while strengthening research collaboration and knowledge exchange across institutions and industries worldwide.