Photo: 29th International Symposium on Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD 2026)

New Delhi: The Central Library, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, in association with the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD), USA, organised the 29th International Symposium on Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD 2026) on the theme “ETDs in the Age of AI.”

The symposium, held from October 23-25, 2026, brought together over 300 participants, including scholars, library and information science professionals, researchers, technology experts, policymakers, data scientists, AI experts and representatives of academic and publishing organisations from India and abroad, including the USA, UK, Singapore, France, Egypt, Kuwait and the UAE. The event provided an international platform to deliberate on the future of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) in the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.

(Photo: Prof. Gobardhan Das, Member, NITI Aayog, Government of India)

Prof. Gobardhan Das, Member, NITI Aayog, Government of India, addressed the inaugural session as the Chief Guest and highlighted the enduring value of doctoral research. He observed that a thesis records not only research findings but also the perseverance behind their creation. Much valuable scholarly work, he noted, remains underexplored because it is difficult to discover or connect with related research.

With Indian universities producing an increasing volume of doctoral research, he emphasised that this challenge also presents a significant opportunity to strengthen research discovery and accessibility. His remarks underscored the need to use AI responsibly to enhance the visibility, accessibility and impact of scholarly research while preserving human intellect, research integrity and academic rigour.

The inaugural session featured distinguished addresses by Prof. Ramesh C. Gaur, Conference Committee Chair, NDLTD, USA; Prof. Edward A. Fox, Executive Director and Chairman of the Board, NDLTD, USA; Ms. Leslie Weir, President of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA); and Prof. Devika Madalli, Director, INFLIBNET Centre, who shared perspectives on the evolving landscape of scholarly communication and digital research.

Dr. Nabi Hasan, Organising Chair and Head Librarian, IIT Delhi, delivered the opening remarks, setting the context for the symposium and highlighting its significance for the future of electronic theses and dissertations. Prof. Arvind K. Nema, Deputy Director (Operations), IIT Delhi, delivered the Presidential Address, emphasising the importance of institutional commitment, technological advancement and collaborative efforts in strengthening research infrastructure and supporting the responsible integration of AI into scholarly practices.

The three-day symposium featured keynote addresses, invited talks, Fireside Chats, technical sessions, research papers, poster presentations, panel discussions, industry interactions, and an Ideathon (a collaborative challenge focused on library innovation). Deliberations covered AI-enabled discovery of electronic theses and dissertations, semantic search and metadata enrichment, research analytics, open science, digital preservation, multilingual accessibility, responsible AI, copyright, academic integrity, and research governance.

Specialised workshops on Dryad for research data publishing and preservation, and AI BHASHINI for language translation and voice-based services, provided insights into emerging technologies and their potential to strengthen open, inclusive, and accessible scholarly communication.

A major highlight was the presentation of the symposium's scholarly contributions through its conference proceedings, comprising 49 full papers and 13 poster abstracts across 754 pages, along with a programme booklet of 88 pages. All full papers will be considered for possible publication in the Journal of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (J-ETD), USA, subject to the journal's editorial and peer-review processes.

The symposium also introduced a dedicated conference app, for the first time in India, available for Android and iOS users, to facilitate networking, information sharing and interaction among participants. An exhibition featuring partner organisations and industry participants, research posters, and cultural programmes further enriched the conference experience by encouraging professional networking, knowledge exchange and collaboration.

The valedictory session featured addresses by Guest of Honour Prof. Uma Kanjilal, Vice-Chancellor, IGNOU; Mr. Julien Masanes, Co-founder, Internet Archive Europe; and Prof. Sri Harsha Kota, Associate Dean (Infrastructure), IIT Delhi. Prof. Ashwini Agrawal, Dean (Research and Development), IIT Delhi, delivered the Presidential Address.

The session also witnessed the presentation of awards recognising outstanding contributions in research papers, presentations, posters and innovative solutions emerging from the Ideathon, marking the successful conclusion of the three-day international symposium.

The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Neeraj Chaurasia, Organising Secretary, ETD 2026, IIT Delhi, who expressed gratitude to the dignitaries, speakers, delegates, partner organisations, sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers and members of the organising team for their valuable contributions and support in ensuring the successful conduct of the symposium.

The symposium emphasised that the future of scholarly communication depends not only on technological advancements but also on meaningful professional relationships, institutional cooperation and the responsible sharing of knowledge.

Through ETD 2026, IIT Delhi reinforced its commitment to advancing open scholarship, promoting responsible AI adoption and strengthening the discoverability, accessibility and long-term value of doctoral research. The symposium concluded with a shared resolve to translate the ideas and discussions into sustained collaborations and improved research practices in the global scholarly community.