Joint PhD with India a first

It is the first of its kind between a New Zealand university and an Indian Institute of Technology.

IIT Kharagpur, located in West Bengal, is India’s fifth ranked university and is known for its research and teaching in advanced manufacturing, affordable healthcare technology, advanced transportation systems and infrastructure, and sustainable food security, to name a few.

University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon says the joint 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 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,” Professor McCutcheon says.

The programme will begin in engineering but is open to other subject areas.

Students from IIT Kharagpur and the University of Auckland who participate in this programme will study under the supervision of academics in both institutions and will spend time in both universities.  

Dr Caroline Daley, Dean of Graduate Studies at the University of Auckland, says doctoral candidates will have access to opportunities at both institutions, whether it’s related to their research programme or their professional development.

“Employers are looking for doctoral graduates who can work in culturally diverse teams and who are able to adjust to new environments in a timely, positive way. Graduates of this joint PhD programme will have an excellent academic record, and a CV that stands out,” Dr Daley says.

Faculty of Engineering Dean Professor Nic Smith says the agreement formalises and deepens the relationship 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.

Some of the research areas identified for collaboration include computational modelling, cyber-security, and advanced materials, as well as precision-driven medicine and cancer research.

Professor Sriman Kumar Bhattacharyya, IIT Kharagpur Director, visited the University of Auckland on Friday with colleague, Dean of International Relations Professor Baidurya Bhattacharya, to officially sign the agreement.

Director Bhattacharyya says: “IIT Kharagpur, the first, the largest and the most diverse member of India’s IIT family, takes 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. This initiative is the first of its kind with any Indian institute and the University of Auckland. I am looking forward to welcoming University of Auckland students and faculty into our campus at Kharagpur in the near future.”

India is the second largest full degree market for the University of Auckland, and will soon have the largest tertiary education aged population in the world, rising as China’s is falling.

Brett Berquist, Director International at 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, we 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,” Mr Berquist says.

“We led a senior delegation to Kharagpur in 2018 and since then, leadership from six of our eight faculties have visited the IIT Kharagpur campus. The rapid levels of engagement among our institutions is a good indicator for productive collaboration.”

Notes to editors:

Established in 1951, IIT Kharagpur is the first of the IITs to be established and is the third oldest technical institute in the West Bengal state. It is recognised as an Institute of National Importance and in 2019 it was awarded the status of Institute of Eminence.

IIT Kharagpur offers a Bachelors of Technology programme in 15 different branches of engineering, Bachelor of Architecture and more than 50 graduate programmes in management, law, basic sciences, humanities and medical science and technology and placed 4th in Engineering in India, while the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering is the highest ranked engineering school in New Zealand and places 39th in the world for Civil and Structural Engineering.

IIT Kharagpur is the alma mater of several University academics, among these Professor Partha Roop, Associate Dean International in Engineering, and Dr Sudip Ray in Chemistry.