Last week, Prime Minister Theresa May represented the University of Edinburgh’s research collaborations with Indian universities at the India-UK Tech Summit.
The Tech Summit is India’s premier science and technology showcase and brings leaders in the British business, science, and technology sectors to India.
May, speaking at a three-day event in New Delhi, emphasised the importance of close connections between the two countries in areas of technology and innovation.
In her keynote speech, the Prime Minister spoke of the “special bond” between the UK and India, and highlighted the strength of their trading relationship.
“Just think how much further we could go if our governments worked even more closely together … if we put … the exchange of ideas, innovation and technology, at the heart of our ambitions,” she said.
Another speaker at the event was the University of Edinburgh’s Professor Sethu Vijayakumar FRSE, who held a talk on interactive robotics. Professor Vijayakumar has held several public outreach events to engage with the general public on scientific and engineering related topics and was presented with the 2015 Tam Dalyell Price for Excellence in Engaging the Public with Science.
This continues the University of Edinburgh’s strong bond with many Indian academic institutions.
In 2013, the ‘College of Wheels’ project saw 95 students and staff travel from Delhi to Punjab by train. While on board they were taught about India’s history, wrote book reviews, and kept diaries of their journey.
Many individual schools within the University have also developed links with Indian institutions.
The Moray House School of Education is currently working with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences on a programme funded by the central government to improve the quality of education across the public sector.
Meanwhile, Edinburgh’s School of Chemistry is working with a network of Indian partners attempting to develop low cost solar materials.
The Jeanne Marching International Centre for Animal Welfare Education is also in partnership with Jawaharlal Nehru University to support the development of new programmes in animal welfare training in the country.
This engagement from the University with Indian partners was formally recognised over the summer when the Ministry of Human Resource Development in India announced that the University of Edinburgh would become part of their National Higher Education Campaign. Along with six US universities, specialists from the
University of Edinburgh will work in a task force to help internationalise the curriculum in India.
Image: Daniel Biays