IIT- Bombay takes global leap: laces with four alien Universities

NI Wire

Mumbai

Wed, 16 Jan 2008: 

Taking another leap forward for its global recognition as an institution to be acknowledged for higher learning in science and technology, the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay has offered its students to participate in student exchange programme with international universities such as Rice, Monash, Cambridge, a Southampton.

The IIT, Bombay on Wednesday cleared the way by announcing that it will tie up with four foreign universities of Rice University (USA), Monash University (Australia), Universities of Cambridge and Southampton from UK to collaborate in the areas of academic research.

The IIT-B followed the principle “do the right thing at the appropriate time” as the university is celebrating its golden jubilee year.

The technology institute of Bombay will sign memorandum of understanding, MoU with the Rice and Southampton universities on Wednesday at the international vice-chancellors’ conclave inaugurated on January 14. On the occasion vice-chancellors from 25 global universities were invited discuss and share ideas and contribute the institute with their valuable suggestions.

“The tie-ups will get us closer to becoming a world-class research university,” said Asokh Misra, director, IIT-B. The undergraduate engineering students will be exchanged between Rice University and Southampton University under the collaboration scheme.

The IIT Bombay-Monash Research Academy at the institute’s Powai campus will be established by Monash University–is the significant among ties with other universities.

While the initial contract for the joint venture will be signed for five years, both institutes plan for a long-term association with focus on studies in engineering, science and information technology, water, mining, automotive, pharmaceuticals and petro-chemicals among other subjects.

“There are around 200 different projects and each institute has expertise in some field or the other. IIT-B has also shown a keen interest in joint research in stem cells with Monash,” said university Vice-Chancellor and President Richard Larkins.

The combined degree will be given to those PhD students enrolled by the academy. Larkins said that academy would enroll at least 200 to 300 students in every session.

“Monash, has committed to invest 10 million Australian dollars for a five-year period, wants the academy to eventually become self-supporting,” added Larkins.

“The agreement will enable the university students to come to IIT-B, get credits and then return and vice-versa.” Said the D W Leebron, the President of Rice University. Under the exchange programme the institute would have at least 15 to 25 students but he said it would take some time to get there.

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the two areas where MoU will be signed with Cambridge University while Southampton University will supervise jointly and give a fillip to the existing activities between the two institutes and support to solve larger societal problems.