During the seventh convocation ceremony, a total of 8 doctoral degrees and 178 master's degrees were conferred.

TERI University organized its seventh convocation, during which honorary doctorates were conferred on Mr V V S Laxman, Former Cricketer, Mr Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever, Mr Hiroaki Nakanishi, Chairman and CEO, Hitachi, Dr Jose Manuel Ramos-Horta, Former President of East Timor.

Speaking at the occasion, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon'ble Minister of Urban Development said "I am indeed delighted to be associated with today’s convocation ceremony where distinguished persons like Dr José Manuel Ramos-Horta, former President of East Timor, Mr Hiroaki Nakanishi, Chairman and CEO, Hitachi, Mr V V S Laxman and Mr Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever are being felicitated with honorary doctorates and a large number of students are also receiving their degrees after their years of hard work and enlightenment on issues of vital concern in respect of environment and related issues." 

He added "These are very exciting times for our country and its people. Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, there is a new sense of purpose, focus, ideas, energy, and enthusiasm to unleash the full potential of India and its 120 crore people."

Accepting the honorary doctorate, Mr Hiroaki Nakanishi, Chairman and CEO, Hitachi (in absentia) in his video message, said "it is a great honour for me to receive the prestigious honorary doctorate from The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi. Taking this opportunity I would like to thank Dr R K Pachauri, Director-General, TERI who gives me this honour. Furthermore, I would like to offer my sincere apologies for not being able to attend the ceremony in person. Hitachi has a strong relationship with TERI and we are grateful to TERI for their support, which has enabled us to contribute to the development of the Indian society. In 2009, Hitachi held the Environmental Forum in Chennai, where Dr Pachauri was the keynote speaker. Similarly, in another forum - the 2012 Environment Forum in Delhi - Dr Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow from TERI, kindly participated as the moderator." 

He added, "Currently, India faces many challenges within its infrastructure and environmental hazards of rapid development, rising population and increasing, urbanization. The challenges faced are especially acute in energy, water, air, and transportation. Hitachi would like to deliver innovative solutions to such challenges."

Dr José Manuel Ramos-Horta, Former President of East Timor said "It's a great privilege and honour to be in India again. In particular, to be now associated with the TERI University. The degree honoris causa of philosophy accorded to me is only a reflection of Dr R K Pachauri’s generosity rather than my actual merit or contribution to India or to humanity. But I will honour this association with the TERI University to the best of my ability and hope that my presence here at this convocation will begin a relationship between my own country, our academic institutions and the TERI University and further enhance the already excellent relationship that my country has with India. We have many students in India and there are scholarships are provided by the Government of India and for that I thank you and God bless you all."

Dr Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever said "Those of you graduating today are at the start of your own personal journey. It's a journey which will test you in ways I suspect you cannot even imagine, for never have the challenges been so great or the stakes so high. In fact, we are just coming from the TERI conference, talking about two of the most important events this year which are: the agreement to reach on sustainable development goals and an agreement to reach on climate change. The year 2015, therefore, is very important." 

Mr V V S Laxman, Former Cricketer said "This doctorate, I would like to dedicate to my parents who encouraged me and gave me the freedom to pursue my dream at the age of 17, especially, in the early 1990s when cricket was an amateur sport and not a profession. But they always told me that it's the individual who glorifies the profession and not the other way round." 

Dr R K Pachauri, Chancellor, TERI University and Director General, TERI said "It was Nelson Mandela who said, and I quote, 'Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world,' and indeed, all the students at the TERI University are agents of change. They are agents of change, which is change for the good. They are agents of change, for change through knowledge. And therefore, it is an enormous responsibility on the shoulders of those who are involved in the conduct of activities in this University to ensure that the uniqueness of the TERI University is not only maintained, but enhanced over a period of time."

Dr Leena Srivastava, Vice Chancellor, TERI University and Hony. Executive Director, TERI said "It has been 15 years since we were recognized as a Deemed University by the Government of India - you are a special batch indeed! The University is very proud to have had you as our students and would like to thank you and your families for being with us through this journey. We sincerely hope and expect you to stay the course on Sustainable Development, carrying everyone in your circle of influence with you, on this journey, no matter where you are today and where you will be in the future." 

Dr Rajiv Seth, Dean (Admn) & Registrar, TERI University said "This year, we set up a new department of regional water studies to respond to the glaring challenges that we face in managing water, both at the national and at the regional levels. We started M.Tech. and M.Sc. programmes in Water Science and Governance and the first batch of 19 students joined the programmes in July, last year. To increase our focus on collaborative research, we have set up joint Ph.D. programmes with three international universities and hope to grow this number in subsequent years. So, it's been an awesome journey so far from 1999, when we received recognition as a ‘deemed-to-be-university’ from the government, to 2003, when our first batch of students was admitted to just two masters programmes. We started very small with just 19 students and then grew slowly but with a vision in mind, committing ourselves to academic excellence and an environment which would encourage personal and intellectual growth."

The University encourages exchange of ideas, cultural understanding, a stress on values and a wide range of knowledge that would result from international perspectives. We have tried to foster the habit of critical thinking, rooting out the inconsistencies of a monodisciplinary approach to problem solving.