IIT-Guwahati inks four MoUs with international institutions

Guwahati, Mar 5 (PTI) The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, has signed four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with international educational institutions for the establishment of academic programmes and facilitating student exchanges, a release said on Tuesday.
    While one pact has been signed with Dalhousie University, Canada, three MoUs were inked with Gifu University, Japan.
    The pacts will be for a period of five years, which may be extended based on mutual understanding.
    Speaking at an event, Professor Rajeev Ahuja, officiating director, IIT Guwahati, said, "IIT Guwahati is committed to supporting students' academic and personal growth through these programmes. In essence, the collaborations aim to provide students with diverse learning experiences and opportunities for growth and fostering a holistic educational environment."
    Under the MoU with Dalhousie University, a joint doctoral programme will be established.
    The agreement was signed by Professor Ahuja and Professor P Balakrishnan from the Canada varsity.
    By facilitating exchange programmes for students and academic staff, fostering joint research activities, and promoting the sharing of research materials, this partnership aims to cultivate a rich academic environment conducive to ground breaking discoveries and academic excellence.
    Additionally, the joint supervision of PhD candidates promises to offer diverse perspectives and expertise, enriching the educational journey and enhancing the quality of research outcomes.
    As per one of the three MoUs signed with Gifu University, an 'International Joint PhD Programme' will be established, spanning a standard duration of three years.
    Throughout their dissertation work, scholars will receive collective guidance and mentorship from faculty members at both the home and partner institutions.
    Research progress will be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team of experts from both universities, ensuring rigorous academic standards and fostering innovative research outcomes.
    As per the second agreement, there will be a two-year 'International Masters Joint Degree Programmes in Food Science and Technology' between the two institutes.
    This initiative is poised to address challenges in building a sustainable society by optimising resource utilisation and benefiting both regions.
    IIT Guwahati has further collaborated with Gifu University to establish a 'Global Expert Programme,' an international joint-certificate initiative under the Inter-University Exchange Project (IUEP).
    This programme enables students to obtain certification from both universities as exchange students, fostering cross-cultural learning and enhancing global competencies.
    Professor Kazuhiro Yoshida, president of GIFU University, formally endorsed the three MoUs on behalf of his varsity.
    In recognition of his contributions to academic collaboration, Professor Yoshida was extended the position of Honorary Professor at IIT Guwahati.
    These partnerships were signed during a three-day event, 'Japan-NER Bioeconomic Technology Cooperation Symposium 2024' (JNBTCS-2024), hosted by IIT Guwahati, which ended on Tuesday.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)