A delegation from the University of Manchester, headed by Dame Nancy Rothwell, president of the university will visit India to develop existing ties and to explore new areas of joint collaboration in education, research and innovation with the country. According to the official statement, the visit underlines the key role of India to Manchester’s ambition to develop global solutions to global problems by collaborating with the brightest and best around the world.
The statement said that the delegation will visit the Tata Medical Centre in Kolkata which, along with IIT Kharagpur has seen the university contribute to the development of cancer research and treatment in India. In Bangalore, the delegation will visit the National Centre for Biological Sciences to build on links in areas such as stem cell research, exploring new areas of collaboration including infectious disease and vaccine development. Further, in Bangalore, Rothwell will launch a new Joint doctoral degree programme with IISc Bangalore, for UK HEI. The agreement will see mobility of students between Bangalore and Manchester and is a key vehicle for cementing the ties between the two institutions, with potential to increase funding and impact on both sides, the statement added.
“Whilst we’ve maintained and grown our links virtually over the pandemic period, there is nothing like the face-to-face contact of a visit to stimulate collaboration. I will launch a new Joint PhD programme with IISc Bangalore. This agreement will allow for our academic links to grow a long-term partnership, a key component of which will be the development of new technologies for industrial development in the UK and India,” Rothwell said.