The State University of New York at Old Westbury (SUNY Old Westbury) and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) have announced plans to collaborate on new academic and research initiatives, including potential degree programs in science, engineering, and artificial intelligence.
The announcement was made during a virtual meeting on June 26 attended by SUNY Old Westbury President Dr. Timothy E. Sams and IIT Bombay Director Prof. Shireesh Kedare. The meeting was held in the presence of India’s Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Vineet Joshi, and India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
The two institutions formalized their intent through a letter of intent signed by Kedare and Sams in the presence of Consul General of India in New York Binaya S. Pradhan.
According to the institutions, the collaboration will focus on developing academic offerings across undergraduate and graduate levels in science and engineering, with particular emphasis on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. The partnership also aims to establish joint research projects and create opportunities for faculty and researcher exchanges.
“IIT Bombay is excited to work with SUNY Old Westbury, whose leadership is committed to quality education and is forward looking in its outlook,” said IIT Bombay Director Prof. Shireesh Kedare. “Considering that our strengths are complementary, we believe that our partnership has the ability to scale great heights.”
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SUNY Old Westbury President Timothy E. Sams said the collaboration is intended to strengthen teaching and innovation while expanding IIT Bombay’s presence on the Long Island campus.
“IIT Bombay is recognized as a world-class institution,” Sams said. “We are excited to establish a direct partnership that advances teaching, innovation and excellence in disciplines like physics and engineering with a goal of creating a robust IIT Bombay presence on our campus so that together we can prepare the next generation of leaders who will fuel success across our region, state, nation and world.”
In its initial phase, the partnership is expected to include faculty and researcher exchanges, joint research projects, and the organization of conferences and symposia. The institutions said those efforts will proceed as they work toward developing new degree programs.
Both Kedare and Sams thanked the Government of India, the Embassy of India in Washington, the Consulate General of India in New York, and Consul General Binaya S. Pradhan for supporting the collaboration.
During the announcement, Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra said the partnership reflects growing academic and technological cooperation between India and the United States, emphasizing opportunities for deeper collaboration in research, innovation, and higher education.
Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Vineet Joshi described the agreement as “a new and proud chapter in the India-US partnership in higher education and research” and called it “one of the most consequential.”
India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the partnership could create new opportunities for students and academics in both countries while contributing to advances in frontier technologies. He also encouraged the institutions to develop talent and research that could address global challenges and shape future technological innovation.