Key Points

Pradhan met with Professor Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London, and his academic delegation to discuss enhanced collaboration in education, research, and innovation. The meeting centred on Imperial’s culture of research and innovation, its existing collaborations with India and the world, and its future strategic plans.

“It was a pleasure to learn more about Imperial’s culture of research and innovation, collaborations with India and the world, and future plans, among others,” the Minister said, in a post on social media platform X.

The Union Minister highlighted the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, emphasising its focus areas, India’s educational priorities, and the nation's inherent strengths, including its market capacity, talent pool, and aspirations.

"I expect that Imperial, London, and Indian higher-educational institutions (HEIs) can collaborate to offer joint/dual degrees and also work together for driving innovation and entrepreneurship, co-developing futuristic technologies, nurturing, developing and facilitating a two-way flow of STEMB talent and undertaking joint initiatives to build a robust AI, quantum computing, deep-tech, semiconductors ecosystem," Pradhan said.

The meeting between the delegations comes ahead of the official launch of Imperial College London's Imperial Global India hub in Bengaluru this week.

The hub is designed to provide strategic vision and leadership, significantly strengthening Imperial's engagement and collaborative efforts in India.

The launch event will bring together leaders from academia, industry, and government to celebrate this milestone and explore future avenues for partnership in research, education, and innovation, further solidifying the deep ties between Imperial and India.

"We are incredibly excited about the potential for collaboration, particularly in co-developing cutting-edge science and technologies in areas such as AI, quantum, biotechnology, bioengineering, advanced materials, and telecoms and fostering a vibrant two-way flow of talent through expanded educational programmes,” said Professor Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London.

“The launch of our Imperial Global India hub in Bengaluru is a testament to our commitment, and we look forward to working closely with Indian Higher Education Institutions to provide world-class opportunities for students and researchers, and to drive impactful innovation together," he added.

The discussions underlined a shared commitment to leveraging academic excellence and innovation to address global challenges and create new opportunities for students and researchers in both India and the UK.

- IANS