Online learners from across India traded their screens for Shoolini University's Solan campus this July. Around 100 of them joined the five-day Campus Immersion Experience 2026, organised by the Shoolini Centre for Distance and Online Education (SCDOE). From 10 to 14 July, participants attended in-person sessions, workshops, and industry conversations, with time to network and take part in cultural events. The programme connected online education with on-campus life through leadership development, innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry exposure.
A Campus Welcome
Founder Chancellor Prof PK Khosla opened the programme by framing online education as a way of widening access rather than diluting it. He pointed learners towards the Vedas and Upanishads, calling them “ageless” sources of wisdom, and argued that true education has to build character and communication alongside academic results. Pro Chancellor Prof Vishal Anand followed with a session on the ‘Art of Jugaad’, walking participants through how to spot the root of a problem, prioritise what matters, and turn a rough idea into something workable, using examples that made the abstract idea of 'innovation' feel like a habit rather than a buzzword.
SCDOE Director Prof Amar Raj Singh Suri welcomed the cohort into the university's academic ecosystem and its culture of innovation, inviting them to take an active part in the week ahead. He also led a session on AI at the Workplace, making the case that artificial intelligence is reshaping careers fast and that using it responsibly matters as much as using it well.
The inaugural day continued with sessions on leadership and career territory. Payal Jindal Khanna, Professional Certified Coach and Associate Director and Head of the Centre for Leadership Coaching, delivered a session on resilience and adaptability. SCDOE Assistant Director Prof Pooja Verma worked with the group to identify opportunities and turn ideas into ventures. SCDOE Deputy Director Prof Kamal Kant Vashisht ended the day's leadership sessions with ‘Success to Significance’, a call to lead with purpose and contribute to something larger than a job title. The day ended on a practical note, with Tech Lead Devender Thakur and Software Developer Shivam Tomar running Career Quest with Siqandar, a session on career planning and staying relevant in a technology-driven job market. Their advice to the room was simple: keep upgrading, and treat learning as something that never finishes.
A Week of Learning
The four days that followed kept up the pace, mixing campus culture with career-facing sessions from across industry. Dr Shilpa Sharma, Gaurav Sharma, and Sudhanshu opened proceedings with "Lights, Camera, Shoolini!", introducing participants to campus life and academic culture before the week moved into heavier territory. Prof Ashish Khosla, President for AI and Innovation, spoke on managerial effectiveness in a workplace being reshaped by new tools and new expectations.
Industry voices carried much of the week. Dhruv Suri, Associate Vice President at Borosil Ltd, looked at where automation is heading and what artificial intelligence and data mean for the future of work. Rishika Verma, Senior Manager at Niva Bupa Health Insurance's Talent Academy, walked learners through recruitment trends in the insurance sector, and Bikramjit Singh, Global Vice President at DIGIMantra, shared what has worked for him in building a global career. Rahul Bhadur, CEO of the Pahal Foundation, spoke on spotting entrepreneurial opportunity, while Rohit Khosla, Director of Placements, took participants through interview and placement preparation. Dr Ashoo Khosla, Chief Learning Officer, worked through decision-making; Tarik Singh, Vice President for Technology at Infinite Computer Solutions, unpacked emerging technology trends; and Manish Sharma, a Learning and Development consultant with IndiGo, addressed the workplace skills employers look for after the interview. Akshita Thakur and Tanaya Thakur rounded out the academic programme with sessions on communication skills, a fitting close for a week built on connecting people across screens and campuses alike.
Certificates, Competitions and Celebration
Between the sessions, the competitive side of the week took over, and the results made for one of the more entertaining certificate lists of the year. Anish Khushwaha walked away with two prizes — the YouTube Vlog Challenge and the Poetry Competition, while Vikash Singh took the Instagram Vlog Challenge. The Reels Challenge went to Vishal, Markandey Mishra, and Siddhesh as a team, and Markandey Mishra added a second win in the Stand-up Comedy Competition. The Solo Singing Competition ended in a rare three-way tie between Akul Das, Vaibhav, and Deepak, and Khushi won the Solo Dance Competition. On the academic side, the Women Safety Group won the Management Case-to-Concept Challenge, and the Life Link Group topped the Technical Track's Vibe Coding Challenge.
The programme closed with a valedictory ceremony, during which every participant received a certificate after a week of expert-led sessions, competitions, and cultural events. But the week's warmest reward was meeting classmates and teachers in person — people who, until now, had only been faces on a screen.