Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have signed a five-year agreement to strengthen academic and research collaboration, including student and faculty exchanges, joint research and academic programmes.
The MoU was signed on September 29 at the IIT Madras campus by BITS Pilani Group Vice Chancellor Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao and IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti.
Focus on academic and research exchange
The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration in areas of mutual academic and research interest. It provides for the exchange of students and faculty, academic and scholarly information, materials and publications, besides joint seminars, workshops and other academic meetings.
A key component is a student exchange programme under which students from both institutions can undertake coursework, research activities and project work at the partner institution.
Students to get credit and fee waiver benefits
Students participating in the exchange will be designated as special exchange students and can enrol in courses either for credit or audit, subject to approval from the relevant faculty or project supervisors and fulfilment of applicable prerequisites.
The programme also provides for tuition-fee waivers at the host institution. Credits and grades earned during the exchange will be recognised by the student’s home institution based on the academic report provided by the host institution.
“This collaboration with IIT Madras will create new opportunities for student mobility, joint research and faculty engagement, and will strengthen the larger culture of collaboration among India’s leading institutions,” said BITS Pilani Group Vice Chancellor Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao.
Collaboration to span emerging technologies
The partnership is intended to promote interdisciplinary engagement and enable students and faculty to benefit from the academic expertise and resources of both institutions.
“Extremely happy to have signed a MoU with BITS Pilani. Looking forward to working closely on an entire spectrum of areas ranging from critical and emerging technologies to wellness initiatives, mutually learning from all best practices,” said IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti.
The signing ceremony was attended by IIT Madras Institute-wide Dean, Alumni Relations Prof. Arya Kumar, IIT Madras Institute-wide Dean, Research and Innovation Prof. Sounak Roy, and BITS Pilani Professor, Department of Physics Prof. Raj Kumar Gupta.
The institutions said the collaboration would expand opportunities for academic mobility, joint research and faculty engagement while strengthening links between two of India’s leading higher education institutions.