Collaboratively designed.

Globally informed.

Locally rooted.

WPU GŌA delivers world-class, values-driven programs that blend liberal arts, sciences, design, and management. We empower students to lead responsibly and drive meaningful societal impact through global collaborations and local community engagement. By building research and innovation ecosystems from the start, we prepare conscious change makers committed to sustainability and inclusivity.”

Vision

“To be the world’s leading interdisciplinary university dedicated to peace and sustainability, designing and demonstrating regenerative futures, where human societies thrive in harmony with planetary boundaries.”

Ōur Vision

“To be the world’s leading transdisciplinary university dedicated to peace and sustainability, designing and demonstrating regenerative futures, where human societies thrive in harmony within planetary boundaries.”

Ōur Mission

WPU GŌA exists to prepare leaders who think deeply, connect ideas across domains, and act with empathy. We educate leaders who can see the whole system, understand people, and design solutions with compassion. We generate research that pushes boundaries and enables real change, and we work to catalyse innovation and policy that shape the world we want to live in.

World-Class Programmes

Top-quality UG and PG Programmes that meet global standards, providing students with practical skills and opportunities to succeed.

Empowered Leaders

Foster responsible leadership in students by developing ethics, awareness, and skills, preparing them to positively impact society.

Global Partnerships

Encourage students and faculty to form international partnerships, share ideas, and apply knowledge to solve real-world local challenges.

Inclusive Sustainability

integrating eco-friendly practices and fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

Chancellor & Core Advisors

Shaping the vision of a future-first university grounded in integration,
responsibility, human-centric thinking, and a culture of academic excellence.

Prof. Satish Tripathi

 Honorary Chancellor, Governing Board
WPU GŌA
President, University at Buffalo, USA

Prof. Satish Tripathi is the first international-born President of the University at Buffalo and a respected global academic leader. In 2024, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the highest honours in academia. He is a Fellow of IEEE, AAAS, and the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association, reflecting his impact on science and technology. He graduated at the top of his class from Banaras Hindu University, India. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Toronto, Canada. He also holds three master’s degrees in computer science and statistics from leading universities in Canada and India.

Mr. D.Shivakumar

President, Industry Advisory Board
WPU GŌA
Former CEO, PepsiCo, India

Mr. D. Shivakumar, also known as Shiv, is a leading Indian business leader and respected management thinker. He has served as Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo India, where he led major portfolio and brand transformations. He has also held senior leadership roles at Nokia, Hindustan Lever, and the Aditya Birla Group, working across FMCG, telecom, and corporate strategy. He currently serves as an Operating Partner at Advent International, a global private equity firm. He is an alumnus of IIT Madras and IIM Calcutta. His leadership work is widely taught through case studies at leading global business schools, and he has also served as President of the All India Management Association (AIMA).

Prof. Suresh Garimella

Chairman, Global Advisory Board
WPU GŌA
President, University of Arizona, USA

Prof. Suresh Garimella is the 23rd President of the University of Arizona and a distinguished academic leader in engineering. He previously served as President of the University of Vermont. He has also held senior leadership roles at Purdue University, including Executive Vice President for Research and Partnerships. Prof. Garimella is a member of the National Science Board and was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 2025. He is a highly cited researcher with over 625 research publications and 16 patents. He holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. And master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Ohio State University and IIT Madras, respectively.

Prof. Pankaj Chandra

 Advisor
WPU GŌA
Vice Chancellor, Ahmedabad University 

Prof. Pankaj Chandra is the Vice Chancellor and Chairman of the Board of Management of Ahmedabad University. He previously served as Director of IIM Bangalore and as a professor at IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore. He was the Chairperson of the Doctoral Programme at IIM Ahmedabad and the first Associate Dean (Academic) at ISB, Hyderabad. He has played a key role in shaping higher education policy in India, serving on several Government of India committees and national advisory bodies. Prof. Chandra has also been closely involved in institution building and entrepreneurship, including being part of the founding team of Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) at IIM Ahmedabad. He holds a BTech from Banaras Hindu University and a PhD from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

WPU GŌA Leadership

Leadership that translates the WPU GŌA vision into reality

Prof. Walter Leal Filho

Vice Chancellor
WPU GŌA

Prof. Walter Leal Filho is a distinguished Euro-Professor and a globally recognized leader in sustainable development and climate change. He holds professorial positions in Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Poland, and currently chairs Climate Change Management at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences. He is one of the world’s most published scholars in sustainable development and a leading contributor to climate change research, including health dimensions. Prof. Leal is the founding editor of the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education and editor of major global book series with Springer. He has served as a Lead Author and Review Editor for the IPCC and has advised international organizations such as the UN, World Bank, and European Union.

Dr. Ashish Bharadwaj

Pro Vice Chancellor & Dean of Academics,
WPU GŌA  

Professor Ashish Bharadwaj is a widely published scholar on intellectual property policy and technological innovation in India, and his work has helped elevate the stature of higher education in the country. Previously, he served as Founding Dean at BITS Pilani’s Mumbai Campus and Dean at O.P. Jindal Global University. He has established research centres focused on the business, policy, and legal aspects of global technology innovation. He holds a PhD from the Max Planck Institute for Innovation & Competition and LMU in Munich, an LLM from Erasmus University Rotterdam and Manchester University, a Thomas Edison Innovation Fellowship at CPIP, George Mason University, and an MSc from the CEG, Anna University. He is a prolific writer in technology law and policy, and has an invited fortnightly column in the Hindustan Times to demystify contemporary socio-legal issues. His last three books have been accessed 415,000+ times.

Dr. Vijayan Karippal

Chief Operating Officer (COO) & Registrar,
WPU GŌA  

Dr. Vijayan Karippal is an institutional builder, international teacher educator and educational psychologist with over 25 years of experience. He holds a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Calicut, Master’s degrees in Psychology, English, and Sociology, and an M.Ed. with First Rank. He has undergone advanced training at the University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin, USA, as well as IIM Kozhikode and NIAS Bengaluru. Formerly Head of the Institution of Teacher Education at Kannur University, Kerala. He has trained over 16,000 teachers and one lakh students across engineering, management, and medical colleges, and served as a resource person for Oxford University Press and Macmillan Publishers. He is also an accomplished author and editorial columnist.

Recipient of the Broad Outlook Learner Teacher Award by Air India and the Best Mentor Award from JCI. He is the founder of “BEACON BUDDIES,” lauded by NCERT, and creator of “HUMAGOGY – Humour Pedagogy for Universal Growth and Sustainability (HUGS).”

Core Leadership

Guiding the way forward with vision, integrity, and a culture of excellence.

Team Carousel

Prof. Satish Tripathi

President, University of Buffalo
Hon. President

Prof. Walter Leal Filho

Professor, Hamburg University
Vice Chancellor

Mr. Shiv Shivkumar

Former CEO, PepsiCo India

Dr. Suresh Garimella

President, University of Arizona

Dr. Pankaj Chandra

Vice Chancellor, Ahmedabad University

Prof. Satish Tripathi

 Honorary Chancellor, Governing Board
WPU GŌA
President, University at Buffalo, USA

Prof. Walter Leal Filho

Vice Chancellor
WPU GŌA

Mr. D.Shivakumar

President, Industry Advisory Board
WPU GŌA
Former CEO, PepsiCo, India

Prof. Suresh Garimella

Chairman, Global Advisory Board
WPU GŌA
President, University of Arizona, USA

Prof. Pankaj Chandra

 Advisor
WPU GŌA
Vice Chancellor, Ahmedabad University 

Dr. Rahul V. Karad

Executive President
WPU GŌA  

Dr. Rahul V. Karad is a prominent Indian educationist and institution-builder who serves as the Managing Trustee and Executive President of MAEER’s MIT Group of Institutions. Carrying forward the legacy of his father, Prof. Dr. Vishwanath Karad, he oversees more than 70 institutes and over 80,000 students as of 2026. An alumnus of Harvard Business School and a postgraduate in management from Cardiff University, UK, Dr. Rahul Karad is renowned for pioneering initiatives that bridge education with democratic governance. He founded the MIT School of Government (MIT-SOG), the first of its kind in Asia, and established the Bharatiya Chhatra Sansad (Indian Student Parliament) to encourage youth participation in politics. His other notable platforms include the National Teachers’ Congress, National Women’s Parliament, and National Legislators’ Conference, all aimed at nation-building through ethical leadership and value-based education.

The WPU GŌA Journey

The Foundations

WPU GŌA began with a simple but radical question: “What should a university for the future look like?” Instead of guessing, we turned to the world’s wisdom. Over 1,000+ global scholars, educators, innovators, policy thinkers, and industry leaders contributed their perspectives across 46 national and international visioning conferences. Their insights shaped the foundations of a new model of education, one built on transdisciplinarity, values, global exposure, and real-world practice. WPU GŌA is the result of this unprecedented co-creation effort. A university designed not for yesterday, but for what the world is becoming.

The National and Global Visioning Conferences

To design the academic, cultural, and experiential blueprint of the university, WPU GŌA hosted a series of conferences across 11 countries and 26 Indian cities. These gatherings brought together diverse voices, from scientists and artists to entrepreneurs, sociologists, designers, technologists, and policy experts. Each conference asked: What must the next generation learn to thrive in a complex, interconnected world? The answers shaped everything; from curriculum and research priorities to student immersions and values education.

Like Minded People Come Together

WPU GŌA emerged through collaboration among people who shared a single vision: to build an institution that blends global thinking with India’s wisdom traditions.
Educators, researchers, industry mentors, community leaders, and youth voices came together to shape a learning environment where disciplines meet, ideas converge, and purpose-driven innovation is natural. This collective energy now lives on through our Visioning Board, academic partners, Centres of Excellence, and global advisory community, each contributing to the university’s continuous evolution.

Our Logo

The WPU GŌA symbol is rooted in a simple belief: education must serve humanity. The circle represents unity, balance, and continuity of learning. Inspired by the Ensō, it reflects mindfulness, wholeness, and the idea of becoming—never finished, always evolving. Blue stands for trust and global perspective. Maroon reflects courage, leadership, and purposeful action. Together, they form the Circle of Peace: A symbol that reflects what we believe, how we learn, and who we aim to become.

Making of WPU GŌA

Watch glimpses from the Bhoomipujan ceremony of WPU GŌA – held on 2nd Oct 2025, marking the auspicious beginning to a transformative educational journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

Location of the University

Explore and Experience Learning in Goa

Discover a learning journey in Goa that blends rigorous academics with hands-on projects, collaboration, and inspiration from nature

Student Experiences

Participate in immersive student experience programs crafted to shape your skills and mindset, giving directions to your ideas and thoughts.

Educational Model

Our model blends powerful academic foundations with real-world exposure, global immersion, and human-centred development, shaping students who can think boldly, lead responsibly, and create meaningful impact.