In a move to strengthen international collaborations and enhance faculty engagement, Rice University is launching a series of initiatives through Rice Global India. These new programs are designed to foster research and educational partnerships with Indian institutions, amplifying the impact of the university’s research while creating immersive teaching and learning experiences.
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Joint Faculty Research Awards: These awards will support new and emerging collaborative projects between Rice faculty and researchers from leading institutions in India, advancing innovation across diverse fields.
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Supplemental Grant Support: This program helps Rice faculty identify additional funding opportunities with multinational agencies and provides support in the development and finalization of grant proposals.
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Faculty Impact Multiplier: To maximize faculty presence, Rice Global India will work with faculty already traveling to India, adding meetings, info sessions, seminars and networking events to their itinerary. The initiative will also support additional in-country travel to build new research collaboration opportunities.
“It’s been a very exciting three years for Rice Global,” said Caroline Levander, vice president for Rice Global.
Rice opened its Global Paris Center in 2022 with the goal of building the university’s research reputation across Europe, which has a high density of thought leaders, and creating new opportunities for Rice students to experience international immersion.
“Now we turn to India as our next step in that global strategy development for the very simple reason that India is a remarkable country with huge opportunities for research acceleration and amplification, student pipelines to Rice and also ways to integrate our education with Indian educational ecosystems,” Levander said.
“India has about 400 million people who are younger than 25,” said Ramamoorthy Ramesh, executive vice president for research. “These are people who are anxious to get a higher degree, whether it’s a bachelor’s, a master’s or a Ph.D.”
By collaborating with prestigious institutions such as the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and the Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru, Rice aims to advance research initiatives in areas like artificial intelligence, biotechnology and sustainable energy.
“India is an economic powerhouse, but it’s also an educational powerhouse,” said Paul Cherukuri, Rice’s vice president for innovation. “India’s culture is really based on education and the rise of different economic strata so that they can advance themselves.”
The launch of Rice Global India is not just about creating academic partnerships but also about fostering a community of innovation and collaboration. Cherukuri highlighted the importance of in-person interactions in building meaningful connections.
“What I found when we went to India was not only did they embrace our visit, but we saw a synergy between our colleagues, which you can’t have in a tangible way until you’re physically there with people,” Cherukuri said.
By establishing a presence in one of the world’s most dynamic and rapidly growing economies, Rice is expanding its international footprint while also positioning itself to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of global education and innovation.
“We will be looking to build upon those initial conversations in durable and lasting ways, but that’s the beginning,” Levander said. “It’s a multiyear educational project, and I’m excited to be leading it.”
Learn more about Rice Global India here.