Sechenov University being the largest international research medical university in Russia aims at cooperation with abroad partners in the field of medicine and life sciences. IIT Bombay received an interest from Prof. Dmitry Enikeev, Head of International Office to discuss the collaboration opportunities between both the universities mainly in academic and research collaborations. During the meeting which held online on March 28, 2022, Prof. Amit Agrawal Dean IR and Prof. Dmitry along with his team discussed the ways to have a mutually beneficial partnership.

Scientific and administrative members from SU:

• Prof. Dmitry Enikeev, Head of International Office
• Mr. Albert Istomin, Deputy Head of International Office
• Mr. Igor Lunkov, International Office
• Ms. Liubov Zaytseva, International Office

Participants from IIT Bombay:

• Prof. Amit Agrawal, Dean of International Relations
• Dr. Pushpa Kumari, Manager, IR Office

As a result of this interaction, an IIT Bombay faculty member Prof. Ganesh Ramakrishnan was introduced to initiate the collaboration via participation in SU???s upcoming international conference. In the framework of the 13th all-Russian conference with the international participation ???Week of Medical Education - 2022???, held on April 4-8, 2022 by Sechenov University, Russia. Prof. Ganesh is a professor of Computer Science and Engineering and a Professor-in-Charge of Koita Centre for Digital Health, who participated as a foreign speaker at this conference.

The Ambassador of Mexico to India expressed to have a meeting with Indian Institute of Technology Bombay on April 1, 2022 on behalf of the Mexican higher education representatives. A meeting was held with the following Mexican scientific-academic delegation:

• Mr. Jos?? Mustre, Director General, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV)
• Dr. Brenda Valderrama Blanco, Vice-Director of the Institute of Biotechnology, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
• Dr. Laura Arreola Mendoza, Head of the Research and Postgraduate Secretariat, National Polytechnic Institute (IPN)
• Dr. Victor Manuel Tellez L??pez, Director of the Center for Research on Applied Science and Advances Technology (CICATA-Morelos)
• Ms. Vanessa Espinosa, Head of Cooperation Section, Embassy of Mexico in India

Participants from IIT Bombay:

• Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director of IIT Bombay
• Prof. Amit Agrawal, Dean of International Relations
• Dr. Pushpa Kumari, Project Manager, Dean IR Office

Dr. Laura Mendoza and Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri signed an expression of interest between IPN and IIT Bombay after interacting about the prospective course of collaboration during the meeting.

The delegates were exhibited to Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility (SAIF)/ Centre for Research in Nanotechnology and Science (CRNTS) labs by Dr. Gajender Saini, Senior Technical Officer, SAIF.

On the occasion of 55th ASEAN Day celebration, Office of Dean IR organized its first offline session post pandemic on August 8, 2022 at IIT Bombay. For the event Consul Generals of Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia addressed the faculty and students of IIT Bombay. Prof. Amit Agrawal (Dean IR) commenced the event by introducing the Consul Generals to the audience and throwing light on the significance of the session. During the session the Consul Generals gave insights about significance of ASEAN Day, the ASEAN agenda 2025, India ??? ASEAN collaborations and IIT Bombay - ASEAN universities association. Interactive question answer session where the Consul Generals addressed the queries of the audience was the highlight of the event. The session was beneficial for IITians as they gained clarity for future career opportunities in ASEAN countries and discussed about further initiatives to be made for the betterment of ASEAN-IIT Bombay collaboration.

Under Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility staff exchange program Ms. Larissa, Program Manager, TUM exchange visited IIT Bombay during September 5-9, 2022. Independent interaction session for Ms. Larisa was planned by Ms. Chandrika Naik (Clerical Assistant, Dean IR office). Meetings were arranged with Prof. Amit Agrawal (Dean, International Relations), Dr. K.V. Reghuthaman (Joint Registrar, Institute of Eminence), Dipti Datye (Associate Vice President - Internal Engagement), Ms. Ruchika, (Assistant Registrar, Academic office) and Office of Dean IR staff. During her time at IIT Bombay there was mutual exchange of the academic and administrative practices followed at IITB and TUM which will further contribute in benefiting both the Universities. In the session with Dean IR office team, relevant information about student exchange and related practices were discussed. Further during the session with exchange students from TUM at IITB, the students shared their feedback about IITB. Apart from official interactions Ms. Larissa was also engaged in campus tour. We look forward to more such staff exchange in future.

International Relations Office organized a get together of all the international degree students at IIT Bombay on September 23, 2022. Prof Amit Agrawal (Dean, International Relations) welcomed the students. The students were then addressed by the Director of IIT Bombay. Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri talked about the significance of having international students at IIT Bombay and how their stay is beneficial for student community at IIT Bombay. Students were also addressed by Deputy Director Academic and Infrastructural Affairs, Dean Academic Programmes, Dean Student Affairs, and finally by Dean Research and Development. The students were made aware of different opportunities presented at IIT Bombay for holistic growth of a student. Students were also informed about the different activities apart from academia where they can learn and contribute. International students were encouraged to exchange cultural knowledge among other students at IIT Bombay.

Such get together proves beneficial for students as they get the opportunity of one on one interaction with Professors and share their experience at IIT Bombay. The event was followed by dinner and photo session. Office of Dean IR looks forward to hosting such get together of International students every year.

On November 28, 2022, our office hosted a half-day workshop on Draft National Credit Framework (NCrF) to create awareness among the stakeholders on how NCrF facilitates a learner's transition between academic and vocational programs, allowing for the flexibility to exit and re-enter programs by accumulating, transferring, and redeeming credits based on individual needs. This aligns with the objectives outlined in the National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP, 2020). Hon???ble Minister of State for Education, Smt. Annpurna Devi, was the Chief Guest for the event. The event successfully brought together over 185+ participants, representing various educational institutions such as universities, colleges, schools, and NGOs. Additionally, academicians from IITs and representatives from organizations including NCERT, State Education Board, Secondary and Higher Education Board, Directorate of Skill Development, and Directorate of Higher Education participated in this workshop. Participants had the unique opportunity to engage directly with a group of experts who played a significant role in shaping the draft. This expert panel had Dr. Vinita Agrawal (NCVET), Lt. Col. Gunjan Chowdhary (NCVET), Dr. Avichal Kapur (UGC), Mr. Nilambuj Sharan (MSDE), Prof. Rajive Kumar (AICTE), Dr. Saroj Sharma (NIOS), Niti Shankar Sharma (CBE), and Prof. Vinay Swarup Mehrotra (PSSCIVE). Participants gained valuable insights into every aspect of the draft NCrF, including a comprehensive understanding of the associated challenges in its implementation. The event also emphasized a forward-looking approach, outlining strategies to collaboratively work towards the effective implementation of the framework.

A Finnish delegation lead by Minister of Employment of Finland, H.E. Ms. Tuula Haatainen visited IIT Bombay on December 16, 2022. Prof. Subhasis Chaudhary (Director), Prof. Amit Agrawal (Dean IR) and Prof. Swaroop Ganguly (Professor In-charge, Research Park) joined from IIT Bombay for the meeting. Finnish delegations included Embassy Personals, Business and Company Personals. The meeting was commenced by Prof. Agrawal followed by address from the Director, IIT Bombay. Minister from Finland was delighted to visit India and the IIT Bombay campus. The meeting emphasized upon exploring commonalities between IIT Bombay and Team Finland and building productive partnership. Mutual interest for association was expressed from IIT Bombay and Team Finland and ideas were shared for future collaborations. We look forward to further extend this association with team Finland and present more opportunities to the youth.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all our participants for making our offline International Summer School Program (June 12-24, 2023) a success. IIT Bombay hosted the participants representing various institutions such as DTU Denmark (Denmark); Loughborough University (UK); Daffodil International University (Bangladesh); Tohoku University (Japan); Jahangirnagar University (Bangladesh); Kharazmi University (Iran); National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University (Taiwan); SLTC Research University (Sri Lanka); Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University (Kazakhstan) around the globe. The program offered courses in three cutting-edge subjects "Sustainable Waste Management," "Statistics", and "Neuromorphic Computing: Implementing AI/ML". We had dedicated 25-30 hours per week to each course. Beyond the classroom, our participants also had the opportunity to explore the historical and cultural landmarks of Mumbai, providing them with a captivating glimpse into the richness and diversity of Indian culture. As we bid adieu to the International Summer School 2023, please Stay tuned for our upcoming winter school program to engage, learn, and connect with the world's brightest minds. Thank you once again to all the participants who made this Summer School a truly unforgettable experience.