Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati has bolstered its global partnerships by signing four Memorandums of Understanding with renowned international educational institutions.

The institute took a significant step towards enhancing knowledge exchange by formalizing collaborations with Dalhousie University, Canada and Gifu University, Japan on March 3. 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, expressed pride in the collaborations with the partner institutes. He emphasized, “IIT Guwahati is committed to supporting students' academic and personal growth through these programs. The primary goal is for enriching the educational experience of students and 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 - MoU with Dalhousie University, Canada, to establish Joint Doctoral Program: This innovative collaboration marks the inception of joint doctoral programs designed to foster dynamic research collaborations between scholars and students from both institutions.

By facilitating exchange programs 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 PhD 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 the Dalhousie University, Canada, signed the MoU with Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, Officiating Director, IIT Guwahati.

3 MoUs with Gifu University, Japan, for International Joint PhD Program :

IIT Guwahati has established an ‘International Joint PhD Program’ in collaboration with Gifu University, spanning a standard duration of three years. This program 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 Program in Food Science and Technology’ between the two institutes. This program is guided by collaborative management between Gifu University and IIT Guwahati, facilitating coursework and dissertation evaluation for enrolled students. Additionally, the program emphasizes 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 Program,’ an international joint-certificate initiative under the Inter-University Exchange Project (IUEP). This program 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. programs, in addition to the Agreement on the Glocal Expert Program.

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 3rd to 5th March 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.

The symposium is providing insights into how international collaborative education can accelerate societal transition, with academic sessions focusing on cutting-edge research in food supply chains, sustainable technology, disaster management, and biomass utilization, particularly in bamboo resources of NER.

Distinguished researchers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and young researchers from across India and Japan are participating in the event, providing a platform for discussions on current challenges and future opportunities in bio-economic development.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)