IIT Guwahati strengthens collaboration with universities in Canada, Japan

Institute enters into 4 memoranda of agreement with Dalhousie University, Canada, and Gifu University, Japan

GUWAHATI: Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati has bolstered its global partnerships by signing four memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with renowned international educational institutions. On March 3, the institute took a significant step towards enhancing knowledge exchange by formalising collaborations with Dalhousie University, Canada, and Gifu University, Japan. All the MoUs have been signed for a period of 5 years and may be further extended based on mutual understanding.

Speaking during the event, Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Officiating Director, IIT Guwahati, emphasized, "IIT Guwahati is committed to supporting students' academic and personal growth through these programmes. The primary goal is to enrich the educational experience of students, and it was noted that such cross-cultural opportunities would enable them to achieve that. In essence, the collaborations aim to provide students with diverse learning experiences and opportunities for growth, fostering a holistic educational environment at IIT Guwahati."

The key highlights of the agreement with the two universities are as follows:

An MoU with Dalhousie University, Canada, to establish a joint doctoral programme.

This innovative collaboration marks the inception of joint doctoral programmes designed to foster dynamic research collaborations between scholars and students from both institutions. By facilitating exchange programmes for students and academic staff, fostering joint research activities, and promoting the sharing of research materials, this partnership aims to cultivate a rich academic environment conducive to ground-breaking discoveries and academic excellence. Additionally, the joint supervision of Ph.D. candidates promises to offer diverse perspectives and expertise, enriching the educational journey and enhancing the quality of research outcomes.

For this collaboration, Prof. P. Balakrishnan from Dalhousie University, Canada, signed the MoU with Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Officiating Director, IIT Guwahati.

Three MoUs with Gifu University, Japan, for an International Joint Ph.D. Programme

"        IIT Guwahati has established an 'International Joint PhD Programme' in collaboration with Gifu University, spanning a standard duration of three years. This programme entails a collaborative course design by both universities, offering students a comprehensive educational experience. Throughout their dissertation work, scholars will receive collective guidance and mentorship from faculty members at both the home and partner institutions. Research progress will be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team of experts from both universities, ensuring rigorous academic standards and fostering innovative research outcomes.

An agreement has been forged for a 2-year 'International Masters Joint Degree Programme in Food Science and Technology' between the two institutes. This programme is guided by collaborative management between Gifu University and IIT Guwahati, facilitating coursework and dissertation evaluation for enrolled students. Additionally, the programme emphasises data sharing across institutions, aiming to cultivate highly skilled professionals in food science and related fields. This initiative is poised to address challenges in building a sustainable society by optimizing resource utilization and benefiting both regions.

IIT Guwahati has further collaborated with Gifu University to establish a 'Glocal Expert Programme,' an international joint-certificate initiative under the Inter-University Exchange Project (IUEP). This programme enables students to obtain certification from both universities as exchange students, fostering cross-cultural learning and enhancing global competencies.

Prof. Kazuhiro Yoshida, President of GIFU University, formally endorsed the MoU for the Joint Ph.D. and Joint M. Tech. programmes, in addition to the Agreement on the Glocal Expert ogram. Subsequently, in recognition of his significant contributions to academic collaboration, Prof. Yoshida was extended the prestigious position of Honorary Professor at IIT Guwahati.

These partnerships were solidified during the 3-day event, the 'Japan-NER Bioeconomic Technology Cooperation Symposium 2024' (JNBTCS-2024), being hosted by IIT Guwahati from March 3 to 5, 2024. JNBTCS-2024 aims to explore essential technical areas for accelerating bio-economic development in Japan and NER, featuring multiple invited talks and numerous poster presentations, a press release said.

Also Read: 28th edition of Alcheringa to begin on March 7 at IIT Guwahati

Also Watch: