The University of Leeds and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in research, education and innovation.
The partnership will include a jointly funded seed fund, with contributions of up to USD 50,000 from each institution. The fund will support pilot research projects, development of new ideas and proposals for larger national and international research grants.
The MoU provides a framework for collaboration across interdisciplinary research and academic programmes. The institutions will explore joint undergraduate, postgraduate and research-led teaching initiatives, along with opportunities for student and faculty exchanges.
The partnership will also facilitate research mobility, knowledge sharing and joint academic activities, including conferences, workshops and international forums involving researchers, industry representatives and policymakers.
The two institutions will further explore collaboration in research commercialisation, entrepreneurship and industry partnerships, with a focus on applying research outcomes to societal and industrial challenges.
Professor Vasilis Sarhosis, Director of Internationalisation at the University of Leeds, said the partnership would help combine the strengths of the two institutions and create opportunities for research, student development and innovation.
Prof Anandaroop Bhattacharyya, Dean, International Relations, IIT Kharagpur, said global partnerships were important for advancing research and creating educational opportunities, adding that the collaboration would support research, talent development and innovation.
The partnership comes amid growing academic and research cooperation between India and the UK and is expected to create further opportunities for students, researchers and faculty members from both institutions.