The University of Queensland–Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (UQ-IITD) Academy of Research has hit a major milestone, celebrating the enrolment of its 100th PhD student.
A delegation from UQ, including Chancellor Peter N Varghese, AO, and President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry AO, travelled to India in August to mark the occasion.
The UQ–IITD partnership was founded in 2018, and gives students the opportunity to undertake a joint PhD, with a focus on projects that address some of the most pressing issues affecting India and Australia.
“Students from the UQ–IITD partnership are undertaking exciting research in a number of fields, and it was a privilege to be able to travel to India to celebrate the 100th enrolment,” Professor Terry said.
“We are currently in discussion on how we can expand our partnership into other teaching and research fields, in areas of mutual interest to both Australia and India."
As part of the visit to India, UQ also engaged with education institutes, government and industry partners. The delegation discussed partnerships and collaborations that are geared towards India's National Education Policy’s (NEP 2020) aim of internationalising India’s higher education sector.
The delegation had meetings with Austrade and the Australian High Commission to discuss government priorities in India. UQ also met industry partners Thermax, Dozee, ReNew Power, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and education partners such as The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, Ashoka University, and Shiv Nadar University to discuss potential engagements. Agreements to formalise collaboration were also signed with O.P. Jindal Global University and Sharda University during the visit.
“Building a deep research partnership between Australia and India is a key part of UQ’s strategy. Together we can achieve so much more than by ourselves. A deeper research partnership will also lift the reputation of Australia’s universities in India. And research that addresses our respective national challenges has an obvious advantage to both countries," said Mr Varghese.
Image: Joint PHD students and supervisors met with the UQ and IITD leadership team at the IITD campus.
