Blog - Page 4 of 24 - Martin Luther Christian University

September 6,2024

Invitation letter to all MLCU Alumni

Agrobiodiversity walk to identify wild edible foods at Mawphlang community forest

The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics

The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics organized an agrobiodiversity walk to identify wild edible foods at Mawphlang community forest as part of the experiential learning for the Minor course in Nutrition, Sports, and Fitness. People from the community taught the students about these wild edible foods

Career awareness program

Nongkwar Basic School, Shillong

Today, the Centre for Career Development and Placement conducted a one-day career awareness program for the students of class 8-12 at Nongkwar Basic School, Shillong.

Independance day celebration 2024

Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong

Jazz Workshop 19-07-2024

Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong

The Department of Music, Martin Luther Christian University organised a Jazz Workshop on its Umsawli campus on July 19, 2024. This workshop was facilitated by Claude Diallo, a world-renowned jazz pianist from Switzerland, and Merliham Arrangements. Claude Diallo has won the Grammy Ballot twice, in 2021 and 2023.

The session began with an excellent version of Jazz Performance by Claude Diallo. Participants include faculty members and students of the Department and musicians from Shillong, ranging from young children to adults. Claude conducted a master class on Jazz Piano. Participants gained hands-on experience through a step-by-step tutorial and guidance for Jazz Progression, exercises, and improvisation.

The class concluded with an outstanding jazz performance jam session between participants and facilitators.

Empowering Youth through Design Thinking: Impact Week 2024 in Meghalaya

Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong

From July 4-11, 2024, Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong, in collaboration with PRIME Meghalaya, hosted Impact Week 2024. The event aimed to tackle pressing issues like pollution, sustainable tourism, youth employment, and waste management. Dignitaries, including the Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Conrad K Sangma, graced the closing ceremony. The week featured Design Thinking workshops for faculty and 105 students from across eight districts, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Highlights included the “Train-The-Coach” phase, interactive sessions, and the Impact Week Challenge, culminating in the creation of innovative business ideas. This initiative showcases the transformative power of education, mentorship, and visionary thinking in shaping a brighter future for Meghalaya.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Skills for Supervision of High-Quality Data Collection

Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong

We had an incredible 2-day workshop on “Skills for Supervision of High-Quality Data Collection” with Dr. Sonali Nag and Dr. Gideon Arulmani.

On June 27-28, 2024, we focused on detailed survey methods, engaged in active role plays, and shared peer feedback. Faculty members enhanced their research supervision skills and brought quality to their data collection!

Skills for Supervision of High-Quality Data Collection Workshop Day 1

Skills for Supervision of High-Quality Data Collection Workshop Day 2

Day 1 workshop SSHQDCDay 2 workshop SSHQDC 11

Day 1 workshop SSHQDCDay 2 workshop SSHQDC 10

Day 1 workshop SSHQDCDay 2 workshop SSHQDC 9

Day 1 workshop SSHQDCDay 2 workshop SSHQDC 8

Day 1 workshop SSHQDCDay 2 workshop SSHQDC 7

Day 1 workshop SSHQDCDay 2 workshop SSHQDC 6

Day 1 workshop SSHQDCDay 2 workshop SSHQDC 5

Day 1 workshop SSHQDCDay 2 workshop SSHQDC 4

Day 1 workshop SSHQDCDay 2 workshop SSHQDC 3

Day 1 workshop SSHQDCDay 2 workshop SSHQDC 2

Day 1 workshop SSHQDCDay 2 workshop SSHQDC 1

Ha Jylli Ki Khriang

Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong

Ha Jylli ki Khriang: An exhilarating musical event by Martin Luther Christian University’s Department of Music, held on May 31, 2024, at the Soso Tham Auditorium. Students showcased their musical talents beyond the classroom, delighting the audience with diverse sounds from Northeast India and beyond. Highlights included performances by Mary Rice Center’s young musicians and a lucky donor prize won by Ms. Relisha Snaitang. The event resonated with good vibes, wonderful music, and a beautiful mood.

Impact Week Shillong 2024

Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong

Impact Week India General Information

Who we are:
Impact Week is a non-profit program that unites people from a variety of countries and organizations. It promotes innovation and entrepreneurship skill progression in developing and emerging economies as a foundation for sustainable growth by establishing sustainable business models using Design Thinking. It equips the next generation for employment, to become inspiring leaders – successful entrepreneurs and game-changers, regardless of their field or level of expertise.

Our Mission
We foster innovation & entrepreneurship as well as intercultural & intercompany exchange through Design Thinking.“

Our Approach
Our Impact Weeks are a two-week in-person event in the host country and it entails an energizing cocktail of post-its, brainstorming, fun team building activities, intense learning, and intercultural connections.

The program outline is as follows:

1. Week One: Train-the-Coach Phase
A selected group of faculty members from academic institutions across the state will undergo a 3-day training in Design Thinking methodology from July 4-6,under the mentorship of experienced Design Thinking experts who we refer to as Senior Coaches. By the end of the week, the participants become Junior Design Thinking Coaches and are ready to coach other participants.

2. Week Two: Design Thinking Challenge

The newly graduated Junior Design Thinking Coaches will now apply Design Thinking and coaching concepts learnt during week one to lead the teams of regular participants under the guidance of Senior Coaches to tackle challenges within the various tracks selected using the Design Thinking methodology and concepts learned.This will happen from July 8-11.

Our Tracks

Our tracks cover over-arching global and local issues and challenges encountered in the majority of the communities where Impact Week operates. These tracks also have the biggest impact and influence in the communities in terms of economic transformation when solved. They include: Agriculture Digitalization Economy,Education, Environment, Government, Health, Security, Sociological needs.

Our Training Model
The training consists of the six-phases of Design Thinking.
1. Understand
2. Observe
3. Synthesize
4. Ideate
5. Prototype
6. Test & Iterate
Through these 6 phases, the participant will gain key skills through Design Thinking, such as innovation, customer focus, and implementation orientation. Along with that, the training includes a lot of time for reflection, group learning, and learning by doing. The Impact Week experience inspires participants to look at entrepreneurship and social innovation in a fun and engaging way while incorporating human-centredness, community engagement and a lot of team work and effort.
Upon completion of the program, the participant becomes a “Junior Design Thinking Coach” and
sets themselves to be a multiplier of the methodology in their professional and private life!

Our Impact
1. We have run 44 Impact Weeks (‘official’ & independently run by our local partners). Among countries that have hosted Impact Weeks before include Colombia, Paraguay, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, India (Delhi, Assam, Meghalaya), Nepal, Jordan, Germany, Albania
2. Over 100 Senior Coaches who are experienced Design Thinking experts from more than 15 different countries have helped to train local coaches and students to be design-thinkers.
3. Over 650 Local people trained on-site as Design Thinking Coaches and are fully capable to scale the impact by training local residents to become design-thinkers.
4. Over 4000 Students participated on-site and successfully graduated to become design thinkers.
5. Over 700 new ideas have been generated with potential to solve problems in local communities and create jobs for people.
6. Countless stories and friendships have been cultivated promoting inter-cultural bonding and partnerships that will last a life-time.

Impact Week Meghalaya, India 2024
For the 2nd year in a row and after hosting the biggest Impact Week in 2023, Impact Week in partnership with the PRIME hub and the Martin Luther Christian University will host the 2024 edition starting from the 3rd to the 11th of July, 2024. This event promises to be a fun and engaging affair where both international and local participants, youth, Design Thinking experts and academic institutions and organizations from diverse backgrounds will come together to apply the Design Thinking methodology to create an innovative learning experience for young minds in the region of Meghalaya.
This Impact Week is scheduled in the Central European Time (UTC +5:30)

Date Activity
13 February Registration opens for participation
15 May Registration Closes
11 May Virtual kick-off meeting of all participants
01 July Travel to Shillong
03 – 05 July Train-the-Coach for Junior Coaches
08 – 11 July Impact Week Meghalaya 2024 – 4 days Design Thinking Challenge
11 July Pitch day and closing ceremony of Impact Week Meghalaya 2024

Teams will receive details regarding exact timings of the event after registration confirmation &
selection.

What to expect in Meghalaya?
With our two-module approach, we will train a new cohort of Junior Coaches by guiding them through a 3-day “Train-the-Coach” phase. This first part of the workshop will take place at the Martin Luther Christian University.
The participants will then take their new role as junior Design Thinking Coaches and work together with the students of the Martin Luther Christian University and students of other participating academic institutes to find solutions for local challenges. This defines the “practical phase” and will give the new Coaches the unique opportunity to directly implement what they have just learned, while being guided by experienced Senior Coaches along the journey.
The innovative and customer-focused orientation of the Design Thinking methodology helps all participants to challenge their way of tackling a problem. The unique spirit of the Impact Week experience will definitely inspire the participants to look at entrepreneurship and social innovation in a completely different light.

Tracks
Each participating team will work on one track. The students can choose their track in the application process and get matched accordingly. Then it is up to them to own the challenge and create an innovative idea to tackle it – always keeping the Design Thinking methodology at heart.

Tentative challenges selected are:
1. Youth Unemployment
2. Waste Management
3. Transportation
4. Sustainable Tourism
5. Agriculture

Challenges will be updated once the selection process is completed.

Expected Outcomes
1. Participants will gain knowledge in Design Thinking methodology and acquire practical skills on how to approach social problems faced in their communities.

2. Junior Coaches will gain key entrepreneurial and innovation skills that can help propel their careers to the next level.

3. Participants will build viable interventions to challenges faced in their communities with an opportunity to scale these ideas into business ventures through incubation by Prime Hub.

Join us as a Junior Coach Trainee
Impact has opened up an opportunity for individuals interested in learning Design Thinking in a
real-world setting to join Impact Week India as Junior Coaches.
Organizations and corporate entities can also sponsor their employees to join the program and
gain Design Thinking skills which can boost their productivity and performance at their workplaces.

Upon completion of our program you will be certified as a “Junior Design Thinking Coach” and become a multiplier of the methodology in your professional and private life.

Interested participants can apply to secure one of our limited spots on the international Junior
Coach Team!

Application Link: https://forms.gle/GLt8247HxpFEW62w6

Become a Partner
Our partners come from diverse backgrounds including academia, corporate, non-profit sector
and even governmental institutions.

Impact Week has been able to implement 44 Impact Weeks in over 15 countries thanks to our
main sponsors; Lufthansa, Help Alliance, AS+P and a wide community of International and local
partners in our countries of operations.

Impact Week is actively seeking to grow the community through partnerships that can help us empower local communities and youths in the global south by implementing more Design Thinking challenges as a way to solve problems in their communities and become job creators.We are looking for organizations who want to join our global movement and encourage young minds to develop user-centric innovations to tackle environmental problems. If you would like to join the event as a sponsor, mentoring partner, incubator or jury member – please reach out to Carolin Tanzer (carolin.taenzer@impactweek.net )

To work with us with us and be part of creating impact in India, reach out via:
Our newsletter: https://www.impactweek.net/contact/newsletter/
Email at (info@impactweek.net)
The managing director (carolin.taenzer@impactweek.net)

Impact Week Shillong 2024

Download

Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong

The Department of Environment and Traditional Ecosystem, in collaboration with IQAC Martin Luther Christian University celebrated the International Day for Biological Diversity 2024 on the 22nd May 2024. The program started with an inter-college quiz competition in the morning session in which students from Synod college, St. Edmund’s college, St. Anthony’s college, Sankardev college, Shillong college, Lady Keane college and Martin Luther Christian University participated.
The quiz was convened by Dr. Marlon Brando Rani, Assistant Professor in department of Botany, Thomas Jones Synod college, Jowai. St. Edmund’s college from Shillong secured the first position, followed by St. Anthony’s college at second place and Synod college at third
position. The second session of the program was an interactive session with experts which started with a talk on the topic “Current Research in Bird Science within the State of Meghalaya” delivered by Dr. Glenn C Kharkongor, Chancellor, Martin Luther Christian University. This was followed by an interactive session with Mr Ezra Rynjah, Research Affiliate at Conservation Initiatives and expert on bird watching who delivered a presentation on the topic “Birds and Bird Watching in Meghalaya: A Call to Citizen Science”. He also gave a short training to students on basics of bird watching through practical approach by using common tools involved in bird watching – cameras, binoculars and bird
identification handbook.
In conclusion, the program was a resounding success. The students gained a learning experience through quiz and interaction with other colleges and also learnt about many things relating to biodiversity conservation and bird watching.

Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong

Martin Luther Christian University (MLCU), Shillong, observed ‘World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development’ by releasing four books on Meghalaya and Northeast, India. The content of these four books were on tribal health, culture, traditions and society.

To commemorate the launch of the book on May 21^st 2024, a program was conducted at MLCU Hall, Nongrah Campus, Shillong. Numerous dignitaries namely Barnes Mawrie (Author of the book – Khasi Ethics), Amabel Susngi (Author of the book – Ha Yupiam ka Bei), Patricia Mukhim, Desmond Rimaki Sunn (Artist Musician and Radio Jockey), Neha Naqvi (Project Coordinator, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, RLS), Professor Sukalpa Bhattacharjee (English Department, NEHU), Dr Sandra Albert (Director, Indian Institute of Public Health, Shillong), Dr Glenn Kharkongor (Chancellor, MLCU), Malcolm D. Roy (Pro Chancellor, MLCU), and T. K. Kharbamon (Vice Chanceloor, MLCU) were present at the event.

The welcome address was given by Dr Larilin Kharpuri (Dean, Research and Publication) who briefed the attendees on the significance of the program and also about the journey behind the production process of the books.

This was then followed with a traditional chanting by students of MLCU. They wore different traditional attires, representing the different tribes of Northeast India.

Thereafter, Barnes L. Mawrie, the author, delivered a speech expressing his appreciation to Martin Luther Christian University for publishing the book, and also highlighted the significance of the book as it is in its third edition.

The second book launched was titled ‘Ha Yupiam ka Bei’ (On Mother’s Lap), a collection of traditional lullabies from the Khasi, Jaintia and Ri Bhoi districts of Meghalaya. Desmond Rimaki Sunn (designation?) who launched the book, did not give a speech as he took the creative route and sang a song, “Jing Kylla ka Por” (The Change of Time) from his second music album of the same name. The song was about past childhood days, which was very suited to the book released.

The third book launched during the event was titled ‘Waiting for an Equal World: Gender in India’s Northeast” which is the second edition of the book, written by Patricia Mukhim. Before the book was launched, Professor Sukalpa Bhattacharjee gave a speech stating how the first edition of the book was well-received by researchers and academicians, and how the 2^nd edition will go a long way to contribute to the scholarship of Northeast region, especially with the book’s special mention of the current conflicts in Manipur.

The fourth book launched was titled, ‘Tribal Health and Wellbeing in Meghalaya, India’ which is in collaboration with Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung (RLS). Dr Alka Kharsati, a Khasi traditional healer, released the book. On the occasion, she spoke on the importance of such literature and how it bridges the gap between traditional and modern medicine. Ms. Neha Naqvi, Project Coordinator, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung (RLS) Germany’s South Asian branch, stressed on how this book in itself is an impeccable force towards the preservation of traditional knowledge systems within the influences of constant evolving global social transitions.

Of the four books, three of them were made available for purchase, as a book sale was also conducted by the Department of Publication. The book that was not made available for sale on the day of the event was ‘Tribal Health and Wellbeing in Meghalaya, India. In conclusion, a total of forty-six books were sold at the event.