Student and staff exchanges between IISER Pune, University of Calcutta and the University of Glasgow receive funding

The funding will encourage knowledge and research collaboration and build on strong existing links between the two Indian universities and the University of Glasgow – the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world.

It is hoped to achieve 30 mobilities between the University of Glasgow and both Indian Institutions as follows:

·        Indian  staff training opportunities: 2

·         Indian staff teaching opportunities: 8

·         Indian student opportunities: 10

·         Glasgow staff teaching opportunities: 3

·         Glasgow student opportunities: 7

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, said:  “The University of Glasgow has long and distinguished links with academic colleagues and business partners in India. The first Indian University of Glasgow students arrived in 1870 and the first graduate was Gopal Chandra Roy from Bengal who qualified as a doctor in 1871. He was followed in 1897 by Dr MarbaiArdesirVakil from Mumbai who was not only our first female Indian graduate but also our first female graduate from Asia.

“As we move through the 21st century, it is vitally important to Glasgow that this international welcome continues to be extended to students and staff from India.

“The University of Glasgow now has an expanded portfolio of productive partnerships in India, encompassing leading players in the independent schools sector, leading higher education establishments, research institutes and major corporate bodies.  It is a key part of the Internationalisation strategy of the UofG to identify and deepen strong research and educational links with like-minded institutions in all such sectors in the Indian market.”

Since its establishment 10 years ago, IISER Pune has become a pivotal element in the recent ranking of the IISER group as the 4th- ranked institution in the Nature index of the top 50 research institutes in the Asian region.  IISER Pune is committed to measuring itself in the QS and other international rankings as soon as possible, but acknowledges that it most perform more strongly in attracting inward mobility of students to allow it to be truly competitive.  This Erasmus+ programme addresses that issue directly.

The University of Glasgow has longstanding links with the University of Calcutta. In recent years this has focused on languages and history leading to joint research and publications in journals and in book form.

Dr Naresh Sharma, head of the International Relations office at IISER Pune, said: “The University of Glasgow understood immediately the structure and value of our five-year degree programme and how it harmonised with their flagship M.Sci degrees.  This new award affords a fantastic opportunity for IISER students to work with leading scientists in Glasgow and IISER is really looking forward to welcoming the group of Glasgow undergraduates who will come to Pune in mid-2018 for 10 months working in our research labs.” 

The Glasgow and Pune teams have also already identified graduate students and staff in chemistry, physics, education and biology who will make research visits between the two cities over the next 24 months.

The University of Glasgow wasawarded the title of Scottish University of the Year in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018; it is 65th in the QS World University Rankings and 80th in the 2018 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.