MEET THE SPEAKER
Education is becoming more global, but are our learning environments becoming more inclusive? As schools navigate changing learner needs, diverse communities, new expectations and a growing need for belonging, the conversation can no longer stop at pedagogy or physical space. It must also ask how institutions connect people, culture, opportunity and inclusion – and what it takes to create learning ecosystems where everyone can participate and thrive.
Meet Mr. Vivek Shukla
With 26+ years across education, knowledge, talent and international business, Vivek Shukla has built a career connecting people, institutions and ideas across borders.
As Director & CEO of AFAIRS Exhibitions & Media Pvt. Ltd. and Director of AFAIRS Education & Advisory Group, he has shaped an education ecosystem spanning exhibitions, knowledge platforms, mentorship, EdTech, internationalisation, executive search and talent management.
His work reaches across South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, including South Korea, Thailand, the UAE, Qatar, Malaysia, Nepal and Bhutan, giving him a broad perspective on education across cultures and markets.
Today, that global experience extends into inclusion. As CEO of WIC India 2026 and an IFIP Distinguished Fellow, Vivek brings educators, institutions and global thought leaders together around accessibility, equity, participation and belonging. WIC India 2026 brought together 200+ experts and 2,000+ educators and leaders from 50+ countries.
Why Vivek’s Perspective Matters at PULSE?
Where Culture Meets Learning is a conversation that goes beyond the physical learning environment. It is about the people, cultures, relationships and systems that shape how learning is experienced.
Vivek brings this wider lens to PULSE – connecting global education networks, international partnerships and inclusion with the evolving needs of learning communities.
His perspective invites an important question:
Can learning ecosystems be truly global while also being deeply inclusive of the people within them?
For school leaders, educators, designers and education professionals, his session offers an opportunity to look beyond classrooms and campuses and explore the larger ecosystem of culture, opportunity, participation and belonging that enables learning to thrive.
Vivek Shukla | At a Glance
- 26+ years across education, knowledge, talent and international business.
- Director & CEO, AFAIRS Education Group — leading a diversified education ecosystem across exhibitions, knowledge, EdTech and talent.
- CEO, WIC India 2026 — advancing dialogue around inclusion, accessibility, equity and educational transformation.
- IFIP Distinguished Fellow — contributing to a global conversation on inclusive education.
- International reach — experience spanning South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa and other global markets.
- Global connector — bringing institutions, educators, leaders and international partners into conversation.
From Global Connections to Inclusive Futures
Vivek’s journey reflects an education landscape increasingly shaped by cross-border collaboration, cultural exchange and inclusive thinking.
At PULSE 2026, that global lens meets a community exploring what happens when culture, learning, people and place come together.
His presence adds another important dimension to the PULSE conversation – one that looks beyond how we design learning environments to ask who they are designed for, how people experience them, and what makes them truly inclusive.
PULSE 2026 | WHERE CULTURE MEETS LEARNING
5–7 October 2026 | Sheraton Grand Palace, Indore
We look forward to welcoming Mr. Vivek Shukla, FIFIP (Dist.), to PULSE 2026 for a conversation shaped by culture, inclusion and the future of learning.