The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H) is planning a major boost to its partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Phase II of their collaboration.
The institute is proposing an increased collaboration with Japanese industries and academia besides research laboratories. The major emphasis is being laid on exchange of Ph.D students, Joint Masters and Ph.D. programmes, according to a release on Friday.
IIT-H is seeking to build a long-term sustainable collaboration with Japan. JICA is a governmental agency that coordinates official development assistance for the government of Japan.
Recently, JICA officials paid a visit to the campus here for terminal evaluation of the FRIENDSHIP project of IIT-H with JICA, which is ending in March this year. JICA officials are extremely happy with the outcome of the project.
The collaboration between IIT-H and Japan started in August 2007 based on the commitment between the Prime Ministers of India and Japan. A Project for Future Researchers at IIT-H to enhance network development with scholarship of Japan (FRIENDSHIP) was initiated by JICA in July 2010.
“As is evident through the numerous patents, publications, faculty, student exchanges and projects, the outcomes of the Phase I of the JICA Friendship Programme are quite rewarding. As the current FRIENDSHIP project is ending soon, we are enthusiastically looking forward to the sanction of Phase II of the FRIENDSHIP project so that we can continue to have this remarkable collaboration & take it to the greater heights for the mutual benefit of both Japan and India,” said director of IIT-H B.S. Murty.
IIT-H received significant assistance for research in five areas, namely, Next Generation Communication Technologies (NGCT), Design and Manufacturing (DM), Sustainable Development (SD), Environment and Energy (EE), and Nano Technology and Nano Science (NTNC). JICA has also supported the construction of buildings and the procurement of equipment necessary for high-end research.
