Indian partnerships deliver new student and food security innovation opportunities
New Delhi: Western Sydney University has signed new agreements that are set to strengthen higher degree research opportunities and student exchange between India and Australia, and expand the University’s research into the critical global issue of food security.
The agreements were signed by Australia’s Minister for Education, the Hon Dan Tehan MP, India’s Minister for Agriculture and Farmers welfare, the Hon Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, and Western Sydney University’s Vice-Chancellor and President Prof Barney Glover AO, at the Agriculture Excellence Research Forum held in New Delhi this week.
The University first established partnerships in 2018 with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to provide knowledge exchange around food security, especially under the increasing challenges of a changing climate.
Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Barney Glover AO, said these new agreements will deliver important knowledge sharing between the two countries. “Through these partnerships, we are broadening the international impact of Western Sydney University’s research expertise in crop pollination, soil fertility and the use of innovative protected cropping structures and systems,” said Professor Glover. “Collectively these are areas of major concern in both India and Australia, and underpin both regions’ economic and environmental resilience.”
The Australia-India partnership will also open up opportunities for student exchange through joint PhD programs, where students spend time in both countries and gain a Masters of Research or PhD accredited by both Australian and Indian universities.
A world-leading research institution, Western Sydney University is ranked the top 2 per cent of universities in the world according to the highly-influential Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. It is also ranked 11th in the world – the highest ranked university in Australia – for social and economic impact according to the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, and is an official signatory to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.