The University of Turku and India’s prestigious Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) have solidified their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The landmark agreement brings the two esteemed educational institutes closer and serves as a pivotal step towards fostering concrete future collaborations.
The partnership between the two institutes holds significant weight as it marks the first formal partnership between a European university and AcSIR. The collaboration is poised to bridge continents, uniting the institutes as partners in higher education and research.
AcSIR is an academic institution that awards degrees through its Academic Centres and Associate Academic Centres. These centres are National Laboratories of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) with whom AcSIR has academic agreements to conduct academic activities.
The MoU was signed by the University of Turku Vice Rector Kalle-Antti Suominen and Professor Manoj K. Dhar, Director of AcSIR. At the heart of the MoU lies the establishment of a cotutelle model-based joint doctoral education and a commitment to doctoral researchers and staff exchange initiatives. Additionally, both institutions are dedicated to fostering collaborative research projects and providing mentorship and training opportunities for doctoral researchers.
"The agreement with AcSIR intensifies the University of Turku's cooperation with Indian research institutes and promotes international cooperation and researcher mobility between our countries. Both institutes have high-level expertise, and together we can solve global challenges," says Vice Rector Suominen.
"The academic collaboration between the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research and the University of Turku represents the first step towards synergising the expertise and resources in diverse fields of STEM through doctoral student exchanges to address global scientific challenges and propel innovation, contributing significantly to the advancement of knowledge on a global scale. With this collaboration, we expect the students of AcSIR and University of Turku to mutually benefit by getting exposure to the exciting scientific research in India and Finland," says Professor Dhar.
"After this first step of signing this MoU, negotiations will continue focusing on the practical implementation of the admission and other relevant processes of the two institutes. Graduate School, Faculties and AcSIR will pay an important role in the future discussions,” says International Liaison Officer Kirsi Korpela from the University of Turku.
Unlocking collaborative potential in STEM research
The synergy between the University of Turku and AcSIR is evident in their research focus on the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The partnership therefore offers abundant opportunities for collaboration in terms of research expertise and infrastructure.
Leveraging AcSIR's multiple locations across India and the strong, multidisciplinary research position the University of Turku occupies in Europe, the partnership promises to tap into a vast pool of talent and resources. The exchange of knowledge and infrastructure stands to mutually enrich both institutions, adding substantial value to their academic pursuits and broader objectives.
"AcSIR has quickly become one of India's most important organisations for further education in STEM fields. Thanks to the collaboration agreement, we are able to attract high-quality doctoral researchers from India to the research groups of the Faculty of Technology. In return, the collaboration will open up opportunities for our own doctoral researchers to undertake longer-term research visits to some of the best research groups in India," explains Dean Jaakko Järvi from the Faculty of Technology.
"STEM fields are key to tackling global challenges, which is why the demand for in-depth skills in these fields is growing strongly. Through the India partnership, we aim to attract more high-quality doctoral researchers to the field," continues Dean Tapio Salakoski from the Faculty of Science.
Professor of Materials Chemistry Carita Kvarnström agrees with her University of Turku colleagues.
"For the Department of Chemistry, the MoU opens and expands opportunities for doctoral reseacher exchanges, joint project planning and access to the extensive equipment park of some of the AcSIR research laboratories. This is a great opportunity for doctoral researchers to move in both directions," Kvarnström concludes.
