IIT-Kharagpur, University of Leeds collaborate for joint supervision of PhD programmes

A team from IIT Kharagpur was invited to join the University of Leeds’ 25-year celebrations in Delhi on June 28. This special occasion, according to the institute, also featured the signing of the Joint External Supervision Agreement, commemorating the longstanding relationship between University of Leeds and IIT Kharagpur.  The signing comes at an opportune moment for IITKGP, hot on the heels of a 13-member team visit of faculty members from IIT Kharagpur to University of Leeds during June 4 and 6, 2024. 

As per professor Rabibrata Mukherjee, Dean, International Relations, IIT Kharagpur under the aegis of the MoU, several activities have been carried out including joint research projects, exchange of students and faculty members, joint guidance of student thesis, etc. 

“To further strengthen the collaboration, the two Institutes now have the External Joint Supervision Agreement, which will immensely benefit doctoral students, wherein they will receive mentorship and guidance from faculty members of both the Institutes. The initial themes of collaboration that have been identified are Clean Energy for All, Sustainable Transport, Resilient Infrastructure, Healthcare and Well-Being, Chemicals and Waster, and Water and Sanitation which also address some of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations,” she added. 

In an endeavour to continue the path of sustained collaboration with University of Leeds, IITKGP has already started discussions on the ‘Jointly Funded Bilateral Mobility Agreement’ and it is also expected that IITKGP will be a part of the ‘Joint Virtual Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Development’ which is being envisioned by the University of Leeds.

In addition to the above, IITKGP is also looking into the possibility of participating in the ‘Leeds International Partners Conference’ which is slotted to take place in December 2024 and will be the first of its kind for Leeds. It is expected that this would give IITKGP an opportunity to make its existing collaboration with the University of Leeds more robust and effectively use the platform to engage with its partners and share knowledge on topics of mutual interest. 

This collaboration between the University of Leeds and IIT Kharagpur is poised to have a transformative impact on the future of higher education and research in both countries. By combining the strengths of two leading institutions, this partnership will foster an environment of innovation, creativity, and intellectual exchange. Students and researchers will benefit from diverse perspectives and cutting-edge resources, paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries and advancements.

Also, by working together to tackle global issues, this MoU will serve as an example of international cooperation. Biological sciences, transport studies, and civil engineering are among the fields where the merger of knowledge and experience from both institutions would not only improve research and education quality but also help solve important problems. Through this relationship, other universities will be inspired to explore comparable projects to strengthen international academic and research networks and set the standard for future collaborations.

The new partnership is in line with both institutes’ strategic objectives to promote multidisciplinary research and broaden their global networks. The University of Leeds and IIT Kharagpur are sure that their partnership will result in ground-breaking findings and have a long-lasting effect on society.