India and the US have joined hands to form collaborative academic partnerships in the field of emerging technologies. This development was hailed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden during bilateral talks on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi.
The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK), and Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, were prominently mentioned in a joint statement issued by both countries. The statement highlighted the growing academic collaboration between Indian and American higher education institutions.
Several multi-institutional collaborations in academics were discussed during the bilateral meeting. President Biden, who is in India to attend the two-day G20 Summit, expressed his support for these partnerships.
One of the key initiatives is the establishment of the Indo-US Global Challenges Institute, which will operate in a virtual mode. This institute will provide a platform for addressing strategic research programs that require interdisciplinary solutions in critical and emerging technologies.
To formalize the collaboration, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by the Association of American Universities (AAU) president Barbara Snyder and IIT Kanpur director Abhay Karandikar on behalf of the IIT Council representing Indian universities.
Furthermore, a collaborative institutional partnership has been established between the New York University Tandon School of Engineering and IIT Kanpur. This partnership will launch the New York University-Tandon and IIT Kanpur Advanced Research Centre in critical and emerging technologies.
Additionally, multi-institutional joint research centers will be set up. These centers will involve the State University of New York at Buffalo and IIT Delhi, Kanpur, Jodhpur, and BHU. They will focus on critical and emerging technologies.
The joint statement emphasizes the importance of these collaborative education partnerships in the areas of critical and emerging technologies. This signifies the commitment of both India and the US to foster academic cooperation.
Prof Karandikar expressed his enthusiasm for the joint research centers, stating that they will initiate a large number of dual PhD programs across multiple domains. This will provide IIT Kanpur students with global exposure, and they will receive a PhD degree from both IIT Kanpur and NYU.
The establishment of the Indo-US Global Challenges Institute is a groundbreaking initiative. It aims to address economic, environmental, and technological challenges that could impact the security, prosperity, and stability of both countries. The institute will function as a virtual network of partner universities, bringing together experts and researchers to find interdisciplinary solutions in critical areas such as sustainable energy and agriculture, health and pandemic preparedness, semiconductor technology and manufacturing, advanced materials, telecommunications, artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum science.
The joint Indo-US Global Challenges Institute Governing Council will work towards developing an organizational framework to promote research collaborations, facilitate knowledge sharing, mobilize resources, and ensure inclusive growth of the research enterprise.
This collaboration between India and the US holds immense potential for advancing research and innovation in critical and emerging technologies. It will accelerate the development of solutions to global challenges and create opportunities for students and researchers from both countries to work together on cutting-edge projects.
The collaborative efforts in academia reflect the shared commitment of India and the US to strengthen their bilateral relations and foster mutual growth and development. With a focus on interdisciplinary research, these partnerships will contribute significantly to addressing the most pressing global challenges.
