Dean Hassanein highlights inclusive innovation at TaSIC 2026 and strengthens global partnerships

Khaled Hassanein, Dean of the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, recently participated in the Technology and Societal Impact Conference (TaSIC) 2026, a global forum bringing together researchers, industry leaders, and policy makers to explore innovation in ageing societies.

Hassanein encouraged audiences to move beyond deficit-based views of ageing that focus mainly on decline. Instead, he highlighted ageing as an opportunity to design products, services and systems that support dignity, engagement and quality of life. Drawing on his research in digital transformation, responsible AI and neuroinformation systems, he discussed how many solutions aimed at older adults are shaped more by assumptions than lived experiences. It’s critical to incorporate behavioural and neurophysiological insights into design, he argued, and to address digital access gaps and work collaboratively with older adults through inclusive co-creation.

In fall 2025, McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SPJIMR in Mumbai, India. The agreement creates opportunities for collaborative research, student and faculty exchanges and joint curriculum development, while also opening the door to future collaborative programs and doctoral co-supervision. Together, Dean Hassanein’s participation at TaSIC 2026 and this new partnership reflect McMaster’s continued commitment to global collaboration and research that supports inclusive innovation.

This article originally appeared on McMaster Global’s website.