The following is a statement from the Association of American Universities about an agreement between AAU and the Council of Indian Institutes of Technology to establish the Indo-U.S. Global Challenges Institute:
The Association of American Universities and the Council of Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT Council) have signed an agreement to establish, and seek support for, a joint Indo-U.S. Global Challenges Institute. The institute will be a virtual network of universities focused on fostering research partnerships and people-to-people exchanges between institutions in the United States and India, with the collaborations aimed at solving significant problems. The institute and its activities are intended to be inclusive of the U.S. and Indian research enterprises and will seek to maximize participation by a diverse set of institutions in both countries, including non-AAU and AAU member institutions.
The Indo-U.S. Global Challenges Institute will seek to address economic, environmental, and technological challenges that have the potential to affect the security, prosperity, and stability of both countries. Specifically, the institute will facilitate high-impact research collaborations in the areas of semiconductor technology and manufacturing; sustainable agriculture and food security; sustainable energy and the environment; health equity and pandemic preparedness; and critical and emerging technologies.
“We are very excited to lead the Indo-U.S. Global Challenges Institute with the IIT Council,” said AAU President Barbara R. Snyder. “I am especially grateful to IIT Kanpur Director Abhay Karandikar for his leadership in helping advance this important collaborative effort, which will benefit both the United States and India equally and which will help lead us to solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing the two nations.”
The creation of the institute effectuates one of the key recommendations contained in an interim report from the AAU Task Force on Expanding U.S.-India University Partnerships. The task force developed the recommendations in consultation with counterparts from leading research and educational institutions in India.
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