Bhubaneswar,Sept 30: Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green OAM visited Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar today, underscoring the growing academic and research partnership between India and Australia.
He was accompanied by George Thiveos, Minister-Counsellor (Education and Research) and Angelina Nair, Senior Research and Visits Officer. This visit served as an important opportunity to gain deeper insights into the institute’s key research priorities and the broader research and innovation ecosystem in Odisha.
During the interaction held on the occasion, the High Commissioner met with Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director of IIT Bhubaneswar, along with Prof. Rajesh Roshan Dash, Dean (Alumni, Corporate & International Relations-In-Charge; Prof. Dinakar Pasla, Dean (Sponsored Research & industrial Consultancy); Heads of Schools, faculty members, and representatives from the Research and Entrepreneurship Park (REP). On this occasion, Prof. Karmalkar made a presentation introducing the Institute’s unique strengths in teaching-learning, research, industry-academia collaboration, entrepreneurship development, teacher education, and mental wellness measures.
The Australian delegation highlighted that with India now the second-largest source of students in Australia, the focus is on building a two-way education partnership through new campuses, collaborations in India including Odisha, and the upcoming Australia-India Education and Skills Council meeting in Bhubaneswar this December.
Discussions centered on aligning the Institute’s research strengths with Odisha’s economic drivers and long-term development goals, while also exploring potential areas of collaboration with Australian universities. Faculty members who are already engaged in research partnerships with Australian institutions also participated in the deliberations.
As part of the visit, the High Commissioner toured select research facilities, including the Central Research and Instrumentation Facility (CRIF), the Research and Entrepreneurship Park (REP) and the Silicon Carbide Research and Innovation Center (SiCRIC)of the Institute. The visit highlighted IIT Bhubaneswar’s strong emphasis on research and innovation and its commitment to fostering international collaborations.
The visit comes ahead of the upcoming Australia-India Education and Skills Council meeting scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar this December. The High Commissioner’s interaction with IIT Bhubaneswar is expected to strengthen mutual understanding and lay the foundation for expanded cooperation in education, skills, and research between the two nations.
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