Dual Doctoral Degree Program – The KGP Chronicle

IIT Kharagpur and The University of Manchester Launch Dual Doctoral Programme

IIT Kharagpur and The University of Manchester are pleased to announce the launch of a dual award PhD programme which represents the next phase of our strategic partnership. This will serve to consolidate and build on existing research collaborations across a number of thematic areas including environmental geochemistry, biomaterials and Industry 4.0. Students will be jointly recruited and spend time in both Manchester and Kharagpur, benefiting from the expertise, facilities and infrastructure of two globally renowned institutions.

The programme, launching this July, will be open to IIT and IISc graduates from India during its initial phase. Successful candidates will be required to enrol at both institutions spending the first year at IIT Kharagpur with the remaining time on the programme split between The University of Manchester and IIT Kharagpur according to the project requirements as determined by the supervisors and the Joint Programme Board.

Both institutions will be responsible for making their own award but the two components would form a single research experience managed cooperatively by both institutions. The successful doctoral candidates will receive parchments from both Institutions – each prominently mentioning the joint nature of the work and the partner institute’s name.

While IIT Kharagpur has already established similar programmes with universities in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, this is the first time such a joint programme has been set up with a British university.

Prof. Baidurya Bhattacharya, Former Dean International Relations at IIT Kharagpur who was instrumental in setting up this programme remarked, “This Dual Award PhD is a unique partnership made possible by the trust and respect we have developed over the years for each other’s research quality and academic standards. Starting from defining the doctoral project, selection and admission of the student, to supervision, thesis work and evaluation, and finally award of the degree, everything is jointly administered. I believe this programme will provide the template for equal partnership between IITs and top British universities in the future.”

As a core component of its international strategy, The University of Manchester is entering into a small number of dual award PhD programmes with prestigious partner institutions around the world.

Professor Stephen Flint, Associate Vice-President International, The University of Manchester, said: “The dual PhD with IIT Kharagpur is testament to the University’s strategic ambitions to build world-class research links with India and to encourage more student mobility between the two regions.” He further added, “The University of Manchester established research partnerships with IIT Kharagpur some years ago and this dual award PhD programme is the next step in deepening our relationship, with academic colleagues in both institutions sharing supervision of the PhD students, who will spend 2 years in Manchester and 2 years in Kharagpur.”

Faculty members from the two institutions will jointly define projects which are approved by a Joint Progamme Board. As per the umbrella MoU signed in 2017, some of the areas for potential joint projects include Biomedical Informatics, Advanced Materials, Smart Textiles, and Earth-Environment-Water Sciences. Several potential collaborations between faculty members of both institutions have already been identified with the encouragement of the development of further collaborations. Under this programme, full and partial funding will be available on a competitive basis for four years for a select number of suitably qualified and progressing students.

For more information visit https://international.iitkgp.ac.in/ or contact ir-office@adm.iitkgp.ac.in

Contact: Office of International Relations, IIT Kharagpur, Email: adeanir@adm.iitkgp.ac.in;

Media: media@iitkgp.ac.in; Facebook: @IITKgp Twitter: @IITKgp Instagram: @iit.kgp

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IIT Kharagpur and University Alberta launches Joint Doctoral Program

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IIT Kharagpur in collaboration with University of Alberta, Canada has launched a Joint Doctoral Degree Program (JDP) to create academic exchange between faculty and students.

The program gives the opportunity to undertake research at the partner institution for a period of six months to a year and provides them with international experience and special certification upon graduation. The partnership would include identification of research projects for students to pursue during their doctoral studies, joint supervision, fellowships with financial support in the form of a monthly stipend to cover the cost of accommodation and meals for students during the duration of their visit. The participating students will receive recognition of completing the program jointly with the partner institution through formal notation on their transcripts and parchments.

“In the post COVID-19 world, we have to reach out globally and engage actively in a more strategic manner. Further in order to generate intellectual resources in a wide array of domains there is a need to learn from each other’s expertise through such joint programs. It would definitely be advantageous for people from diverse geographies, environment, lifestyle and challenges making our research focus more oriented towards global dynamics,” said Director IIT Kharagpur, Prof. Virendra Kumar Tewari.

While IIT Kharagpur already has similar joint doctoral programs with several Australian universities, this is the first of its kind with a Canadian university. UAlberta is the only Canadian university to have established such programs at this time. It has a rich history of academic collaboration with India, holding various partnership agreements to support academic mobility and joint research in place with IIT Kharagpur since 2013. Apart from IIT Kharagpur UAlberta has engaged in similar collaborations with IIT Bombay and IIT Roorkee.

“These programs create new opportunities to equip doctoral students with perspectives and skills that will benefit a global society. When we connect with leading international institutions such as the IITs, we’re fueling new capacity for teaching, learning, and research,” said President Prof. David Turpin.

The collaboration has been mobilized by two IIT Kharagpur alumni, Prof. Anandaroop Bhattacharya at the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Kharagpur and Prof. Amit Kumar at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, UAlberta.

Prof. Anandaroop Bhattacharya, Associate Dean, International Relations, remarked, “IIT Kharagpur is delighted to enter into the Joint Doctoral Program with University of Alberta. The partnership between the two institutions has a very strong foundation through student research internships, research collaborations and joint supervision of students. The joint Ph.D. program will make the partnership even stronger.”

Dr. Amit Kumar, who is the Interim President of Engage India: Association of Professors has been working closely together with University of Alberta International to help establish the JDP.

“Engage India was launched in April 2019 with the aim of promoting academic exchange and relations between U of A and India,” shares Kumar. “Our membership has expressed considerable interest in collaborating on joint research with Indian partners as well as recruiting high quality graduate students from India. The Joint Doctoral Degree Programs with the IITs will help us accomplish both of these goals,” he added.

Contacts:

Project Information: Prof. Anandaroop Bhattacharya, adeanir@adm.iitkgp.ac.in

Institute Related: Prof. B N Singh, registrar@hijli.iitkgp.ac.in;

Media Outreach: Shreyoshi Ghosh, shreyoshi@adm.iitkgp.ac.in

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IIT KGP’s Another First for India & New Zealand

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In another first, IIT Kharagpur has set up a joint PhD programme with the University of Auckland, New Zealand. The Kiwi university called it a historic agreement, noting that this was the first engagement of its kind between the two countries. The joint PhD programme is aimed to strengthen the economic and research ties between New Zealand and India.

The programme, set to admit the first batch of students in Autumn 2020, will initially focus on Engineering but is open to all other subject areas. The joint doctoral student will pursue their research under the supervision of academics in both institutions and will split their time between the two campuses. Doctoral candidates will have access to opportunities at both institutions, whether it’s related to their research programme or their professional development. A single thesis will be submitted at the end which will be examined by both institutions, and if accepted by both, the student will be awarded a testamur bearing the seals of IIT Kharagpur and the University of Auckland.

The University of Auckland led a senior delegation to IIT Kharagpur in 2018 and since then, leadership from six of their eight faculties have visited the IIT Kharagpur campus; this rapid engagement culminated into this productive collaboration. Professor Sriman Kumar Bhattacharyya, IIT Kharagpur Director, along with Dean of International Relations Professor Baidurya Bhattacharya, recently visited Auckland to officially sign the agreement.

Director Bhattacharyya said, “We take immense pride in initiating this joint PhD programme with New Zealand’s top university. The scope of collaborations between the two institutions is vast and we will provide all necessary support to take our relationship to greater heights. Some of the research areas identified for collaboration include advanced manufacturing, cyber-physical security, and advanced materials, as well as affordable healthcare and intelligent transportation technologies.”

University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon, Dr Caroline Daley, Dean of Graduate Studies at the University of Auckland, and Professor Nic Smith, Dean and Faculty of Engineering were present on the occasion.

University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon said, “This historic agreement recognises the importance of top institutions engaging internationally. India is of tremendous economic importance to New Zealand and I welcome the opportunity this partnership will bring to enhance research outputs at both institutions, as well as the enriched learning it will deliver for PhD students.”

IIT Kharagpur has recently announced scholarships for Doctoral students from Australia, who enrol under Dual Doctoral Programme of IIT Kharagpur and the University of Melbourne. The Institute already conducts joint doctoral programs with several world-class Australian universities such as Curtin, Wollongong and James Cook, designed to build academic and research collaborations from the grounds up. Read More

Talking about the intiative reaching out to New Zealand for the first time, Dean of International Relations Professor Baidurya Bhattacharya said, “Our faculty and research & teaching infrastructure are world class; we are making rapid progress in upgrading living facilities for our international visitors. I am looking forward to welcoming University of Auckland students and faculty into our campus at Kharagpur in the near future. This is part of our strategic engagement with the southern continent: We have already taken significant steps in deepening our engagement with Australia at all levels. The diversity in academics and cultural experience will improve the adaptability and employability of these joint doctoral students.”

A statement by the University of Auckland says all eight New Zealand universities are working collaboratively to increase their engagement with Indian institutions. To identify appropriate partners for the University of Auckland, the university commissioned research and reviewed existing connections with India across all faculties with a reference group of academic staff, many of whom are from India, including several graduates of IIT Kharagpur.

Messages from The University of Auckland:

Faculty of Engineering Dean Professor Nic Smith says the agreement formalises and deepens the relationship that has been developed over many years between the two universities.

“This is a fantastic step that provides greater support at the institutional level for the strong and diverse relationships between our staff and students. The talent of IIT students and their interest in participating in New Zealand-based research projects is a really exciting development,” Professor Smith says.

University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon says the dual PhD programme significantly strengthens the economic and research ties between New Zealand and India.

“This historic agreement recognises the importance of top institutions engaging internationally. India hold tremendous economic importance to New Zealand and I welcome the opportunity it will bring to enhance research outputs at both institutions, as well as the enriched learning it will deliver for PhD students,” Professor McCutcheon says.

Scholarships for Doctoral Students from Australia

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In a significant boost to its ongoing academic exchange programs with Australian institutions, IIT Kharagpur has instituted competitive high-value scholarships for students from the University of Melbourne, Australia enrolled under the Dual Doctoral Program jointly conducted by the two institutions. Prof. Sriman Kumar Bhattacharyya, the Director (Officiating) of IIT Kharagpur made the announcement at the launch of the Melbourne India Partnership Program and Academy Conference at Melbourne on December 9, 2019.

Each student would receive an annual funding of AUD 30000 (approximately INR 14.6 Lakh) – an amount equal to their home scholarships – which would cover their tuition and other fees, living expenses and travel costs for the program. The scholarship which will be highly competitive will be offered initially to two inbound foreign students from the prestigious Australian university starting from academic year 2020-21.

Apart from University of Melbourne, IIT Kharagpur conducts joint doctoral programs with several world-class Australian universities such as Curtin, Wollongong and James Cook, designed to build academic and research collaborations from the grounds up. Admission into the joint doctoral programs is highly competitive, and successful progress requires rigorous time-bound adherence to milestones that are acceptable to both institutions. The student carries out his/her research under the joint supervision of faculty members from both institutions and needs to spend a minimum of one year at the partner institution. A single thesis is written and submitted to both institutions who then review it to their own exacting standards. If the thesis is accepted by both institutions, the student is awarded the joint doctoral degree.

Since its launch in 2018, nine students from IIT Kharagpur have enrolled in the joint doctoral program with University of Melbourne while one student from the University of Melbourne came to IIT Kharagpur under the DDP.

“We realized that there is a need for providing financial assistance to the foreign students as many of them support their families back home with their stipend. Just as our students studying in top foreign universities are funded under various scholarship and fellowship schemes, If we want to attract high quality international students, it is essential that we provide competitive scholarships,” opined Prof. Baidurya Bhattacharya, Dean, International Relations at IIT Kharagpur, part of the Institute’s delegation to Melbourne.

In addition to Australia, IIT Kharagpur is also setting up joint doctoral programs with University of Auckland in New Zealand and the University of Alberta in Canada. The Institute is further exploring to expand the scope of such dual degree programs and funding opportunities to other foreign students especially in ASEAN and SAARC regions.

“We have been awarded the status of Institution of Eminence by the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India, earlier this year. It is among our foremost objectives now to reach out to various international zones from where we can expect talents to come and study in India in general and at IIT Kharagpur in particular without adding much to their financial burden for achieving high quality education at par with top global universities. What better place they can get it other than the IITs,” remarked Prof. Sriman Kumar Bhattacharyya.

Earlier this year the Institute saw a surge in inbound applications from foreign students on the launch of Asoke Dey Sarkar International Program, a scholarship opportunity for Masters and Doctoral students.

The delegate from IIT Kharagpur had also met Indian students at Melbourne pursuing doctoral and post doctoral research in Australia for interaction related to prospective academic career options at IIT Kharagpur. The event was organised by the IIT Alumni Victoria Association. The next interactive session is scheduled on December 11 at Auckland.

What’s in my water?

Tomatoes grown with the contaminated water of the Varthur Lake of Bengaluru reach the nearby markets of the city every morning and are bought by unsuspecting city dwellers. Almost a decade of civic activism in Bengaluru has not changed anything for either the farmers or urbanites there. Thousands of miles away, Platypuses, a mammal species commonly found in Australia, happily swim near the coast off Melbourne, unaware that beta-blockers are entering their bodies every day from the ‘safe’ treated water discharged from the city.

Prof. Peter Scales (University of Melbourne)

These were some of the many facts brought to light by the Indo-Australia joint workshop on Integrated Urban Water Management held recently at IIT Kharagpur under SPARC (Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration) program of Ministry of Human Resources and Development, Government of India.

Participants at the workshop included not only faculty and students from IIT Kharagpur and its partner institution, the University of Melbourne, but stakeholders drawn from industry, NGOs, and other academic institutes, including IIT Bombay and Dhanbad, who are all dealing with this scarce resource. The workshop was organized by the School of Water Resources, IIT Kharagpur, and Melbourne School of Engineering, University of Melbourne, Australia and convened by Dr. Manoj K. Tiwari, School of Water Resources, IIT Kharagpur, and Dr. Meenakshi Arora, Melbourne School of Engg, Univ. of Melbourne.

Irrespective of where they came from, all stakeholders were of the opinion that the fundamental issues with the domain of urban water management are similar. Water reserves are shrinking, thanks to climate change. Despite the billions or crores of money spent, an insufficient amount was still being spent on water treatment and management.

And perhaps the worst thing – the existing systems are not ready to deal with the new threats. Take the variety and the increasing number of contaminants, as Prof. Peter Scales of UoM pointed out while recalling the state of the platypuses. In Australia, and everywhere in the world, water management is still not prepared to deal with highly toxic biosolids like PFOs (Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid), heavy metals, microplastics, antibiotics and other substances that are entering the water system.

Dr. Meenakshi Arora, Melbourne School of Engg, Univ. of Melbourne, Co-convenor of the workshop

India presents its own challenges, given that it is a fast-developing economy with a very high population. By 2030, 590 million people in India will live in 2.5% of its area, that is, the cities, warned Mr. Pawan Sachdeva, Director, Water Management International PL, an enterprise that has been involved in water management in Cambodia, Singapore and India among other places. In India, the water supply and distribution systems are struggling to get upgraded from an essentially intermittent system to a continuous supply for its people in the midst of apparently insurmountable financial, operational and management challenges.

Mr. Krishna Kumar (eGovernments Foundation)

Several among the participants believed a greater role for private players was the answer to India’s problems. Many among the speakers at the workshop were, in fact, were drawn from the private organizations such as Orange City Water, Tata Water Mission, Priramal Sarvajal, Suez India and Swach Environment, and they showed how through various partnership models with the Government of India, they were assuring potable water supply for people in rural and urban areas.

There was concurrence that there was a gap in lab-scale testing under controlled conditions and field-scale analysis, and so there had to more pilot-scale studies. The lack of data and information on an easily accessible and reliable platform is also a huge set-back in the water sector. Prof. Manoj Tiwari from the School of Water Resources, which coordinated the workshop, talked on the importance of quantifying the water and energy involved in water distribution system through regular water audits.

Several of the faculty from the School also spoke on the importance of data-based management and the importance of making these systems accessible to all stakeholders, which will create transparency across different domains of the water sector. Besides, as the case of the Varthur Lake demonstrated by Sensing Local, an organization specializing in urban management, and as several of the key speakers highlighted, the lack of proper communication channel among different government bodies was a set-back to the efficient functioning of key stakeholders.

The workshop participants have decided to identify sub-groups within the large domains of urban water that can be the initial area of target to continue their work. This is the first thematic joint workshop on urban water management held by IIT Kharagpur jointly with the University of Melbourne, with which it runs a highly successful Dual Doctoral Degree Program or MIPA.