NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and the State University of New York (SUNY) Old Westbury have announced a new partnership aimed at expanding academic and research opportunities in engineering, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. The partnership, formalized through a Letter of Intent (LoI) signed in New York, marks another milestone in the growing India-US higher education partnership.Welcoming the development, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the partnership aligns with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes the internationalization of Indian higher education. In a post on X, the minister described the initiative as a step towards strengthening research, innovation and global academic engagement.Collaboration to focus on emerging technologiesThe Letter of Intent was signed by IIT Bombay Director Prof. Shireesh Kedare and SUNY Old Westbury President Dr. Timothy E. Sams in the presence of Consul General of India in New York Binaya Pradhan. The partnership will explore collaborations in engineering, multidisciplinary research, technology and other future-oriented disciplines, including artificial intelligence.Pradhan welcomed the announcement, stating, “I welcome the announcement of a Letter of Intent between IIT Bombay and SUNY Old Westbury to explore collaboration in engineering, multidisciplinary research, technology and other emerging areas of the future.” He also acknowledged the virtual participation of Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra, SUNY Old Westbury President Dr Timothy Sams, IIT Bombay Director Prof Shireesh Kedare, and Consul General Binaya Pradhan in advancing the common vision.NEP 2020global perspective of the worldHighlighting the importance of international academic partnerships, the minister of education said that the collaboration reflects the aspirations of NEP 2020.“NEP 2020 places a strong emphasis on the internationalization of Indian higher education and encourages meaningful partnerships between our leading institutions and world-leading universities,” Pradhan wrote.He added that such initiatives would help strengthen India’s research ecosystem while creating new opportunities for students and scholars.“Such collaborations will enrich our research culture, open new avenues for our students, scholars and students and build lasting knowledge bridges to address global challenges while bringing India’s intellectual strengths to the world,” the minister said.Faculty exchange, joint research on the agendaAccording to SUNY Old Westbury, the institutions will initially focus on faculty and researcher exchanges, collaborative research projects, and the organization of joint conferences and symposia. These efforts lay the foundation for future academic programs in science and engineering.IIT Bombay director Prof Shireesh Kedare said the institute looks forward to working with SUNY Old Westbury, noting that the complementary strengths of the two institutions could help the partnership “scale great heights”. SUNY Old Westbury President Dr. Timothy E. Sams described IIT Bombay as a world-class institution and said the partnership will strengthen teaching, innovation and excellence while preparing the next generation of global leaders.
