IIT-Madras and University of Leeds Launch Joint Centre of Excellence in Sustainability

In order to establish the Joint Virtual Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Development (VCoE-SD), the University of Leeds and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

In order to achieve sustainable development goals, the agreement, according to Prof. Vasilis Sarhosis of the University of Leeds, will create a self-sustaining network of top-notch personnel, identify opportunities, and promote significant research and innovation.

Better joint research initiatives between IIT Madras and the University of Leeds would be facilitated by the MoU, which will also involve academic activities including new courses, conferences, seminars, symposia, and lectures.

“A virtual collaboration group on several themes related to sustainability is founded as a first initiative. Significant researcher mobility, joint doctoral and master’s programs, and active participation in bilateral and multilateral funding opportunities for research and development are anticipated outcomes of these faculty-led initiatives, according to Dr. Satyanarayanan Seshadri, advisor for global partnerships at the Office of Global Engagement and head of the Energy Consortium at IIT Madras.

It will also provide a platform for the sharing of publications and other materials between one another, as well as the exchange of teaching expertise and staff and student placement possibilities.

The agreement will enhance knowledge and innovation in various critical fields, leading to the development of research and innovation towards global challenges.

“This partnership showcases how academic and research partnerships between the UK and India can address global challenges and create sustainable solutions,” stated Oliver Ballhatchet, the British Deputy High Commissioner to Chennai. This Memorandum of Understanding underscores the University of Leeds’ unwavering dedication to promoting academic excellence and advancing advancement that benefits our countries as well as the global community, as the university marks 25 years of engagement in India.