New Delhi: Queen’s University Belfast, one of the leading Universities in UK and Ireland as well as a member of the prestigious Russell Group of UK research intensive universities, has signed a MoU with Tezpur University in Assam.

 

Through the MoU, the universities will explore mutually beneficial opportunities over the next five-year period, specifically in the areas of joint supervised doctoral programmes.

The collaboration will also offer opportunities for student and staff exchange for the purposes of study, research and teaching. It will also enable scholars from Tezpur University to commence PhD study at Queen’s in September 2019.

The MoU was signed in New Delhi between the Vice-Chancellor of Tezpur University, Professor Vinod Kumar Jain, and Professor Ian Greer, Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast.

Primarily, the scope of collaboration will be in research, aligning with the strengths of both the institutions. Initially, identified research areas of interest are primarily within the engineering field. However, it is expected that research areas from other faculties will be explored at a later stage. Speaking about the agreement,Professor Ian Greer, Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast, said: “We have a long-standing relationship with India and are committed to assisting Indian students in realising their career aspirations. In line with this vision, we are pleased to roll out this capacity building project with Tezpur University in Assam. Our focus in India includes preparing students for leadership and citizenship in a global society, recognising that each country and region has its own strategic development priorities.”

Professor Vinod Kumar Jain Vice-Chancellor of Tezpur University, said, “The world is moving at an unprecedented pace and every sector is embracing change, drawing on a wealth of new insights and tools to advance in today’s connected society. Mutually beneficial international partnerships and collaborations in research are critical to maximise the potential for the research to deliver academic, societal and economic impact. Both Queen’s and Tezpur will benefit from sharing knowledge, experience and adopting a cross-discipline approach to research.”

Professor Ian Greer was on a three-day visit to India along with his delegation from Belfast. During the visit he met with representatives from a number of institutions and corporates in the country. He shared his vision of nurturing innovation and forging a stronger link between education and industry, and to enable the development of industry-ready graduates equipped with core skills that employers seek in a skill-based economy.

The University has introduced many new interventions for Indian students such as admission through JEE score, scholarships and a local admission coordinator in the country. The university will focus on launching more internship integrated courses for students who are looking at studying and gaining professional experience in the UK.