New Delhi, Mar 21 (IANS): Access, equity and excellence are key challenges for improving the quality of higher education in India and the institutions, both private and public, need introspection if these goals of diversity and inclusion are being met.

These were some of the highlights of the discussions held amongst scholars, academics, and practitioners at the one-day seminar on "Diversity, Inclusion & Internationalisation: Comparative Perspectives", held on March 19 here.

"We aim to set an example for others to follow," the Jindal Global University (JGU) said in a statement.

The first edition of a JGU report on ‘Diversity and Inclusion: Towards Building a Diverse, Equitable and Global University' was also launched on the occasion.

The report highlighted its progress on 16 indicators including national origin, state origin, gender parity, age, religion and caste, education and professional background, disability, academic offerings and interdisciplinary, pedagogy, research and disciplinary diversity.

The other indicators are international collaborations and partnerships, governance and leadership, student financial inclusion, inclusive teaching and learning, gender identity and sexual orientation, and community outreach and engagement.

"The idea of this pluralism is deeply embedded in India's rich cultural heritage," said C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of JGU and Director of the International Institute of Higher Education.