Prof. Sudarshan Kumar, Dean (International Relations), along with his team, had the privilege of meeting Hon’ble Mr. Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer, Federal Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Austria; H.E. Dr. Robert Zischg, Ambassador of Austria to India and Mag. Florian Frauscher, MLS, Head of the Federal Ministry of Economics, Energy and Tourism on 13th April, 2026. The interaction also included representatives from Austrian Technical Universities - Mr. Clemens Weihs, Team Lead, Strategic Partnerships; Dr.-Ing. Susanne Feiel, Director, International Relations, Montanuniversität Leoben and Dr. Christian Hoffmann, Senior Advisor, Innovation and Equity Management, TU Wien.

The discussions highlighted innovation and start-up ecosystems as key areas of collaboration. Prof. Kumar shared insights into IIT Bombay’s vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem, industry partnerships and translational research initiatives. The meeting also included discussions on the existing collaborations between IIT Bombay and Austrian Technical Universities—Montanuniversität Leoben, TU Wien and TU Graz—and opportunities to further strengthen these partnerships. The interaction marked a significant step forward in advancing academic and research collaborations between IIT Bombay and Austrian Technical Universities.

 #IITBombay #InternationalRelations #AustriaIndia #GlobalPartnerships #ResearchCollaboration #HigherEducation #Innovation #Startups #AcademicPartnerships #MUL #TUWien #TUGraz 

MUL: https://www.linkedin.com/school/montanuniversit%C3%A4t-leoben/ 

TU Wien https://www.linkedin.com/school/tuwien/ 

U Graz https://www.linkedin.com/school/tugraz1811/  

Dr.-Ing. Susanne Feiel https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanne-feiel/ 

Dr. Christian Hoffmann https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-hoffmann-b1a23446/ 

We are pleased to announce that IIT Bombay has signed an MoU with the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Japan, to establish a Joint Virtual Research Centre dedicated to strengthening collaborative research in advanced materials. 

The MoU was formally exchanged between Prof. Shireesh B Kedare, Director of IIT Bombay, and Dr. Kazuhiro Hono, President of NIMS Japan. This Joint Research Centre will provide a robust platform for faculty members and researchers from both institutions to engage in cutting-edge research in the fields of Materials Science, exchange scientific expertise, and build long-term collaborative partnerships. 

The initiative will further facilitate extended research stays for IIT Bombay faculty and graduate students at NIMS Japan through various programs, including the NIMS Internship Scheme, the International Cooperative Graduate Program (ICGP), JST-LOTUS, and the JST Sakura Science Program. Both institutions envision the Centre as a world-class hub for scientific innovation—advancing the frontiers of materials research, shaping global academic and industrial perspectives, and nurturing the next generation of world-class scientists.

IIT Bombay was pleased to host a high-level delegation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), USA on 16th February 2026 for the academic engagements aimed at advancing the proposed IITB–UIUC Undergraduate Exchange Programme. The visit featured leadership interactions, curriculum discussions, faculty presentations and the formalisation of the UG Exchange Programme through an MoU signing ceremony. The IITB–UIUC UG Cohort Exchange Programme has been designed to enable students from both institutions to visit each other’s campuses and learn, innovate and grow together through joint academic engagement, shared cohorts, cross-cultural exposure and global professional pathways.

The first trial cohort is planned for AY 2026–27, targeting 3rd-year undergraduate students, with opportunities for IIT Bombay students to undertake a two-month internship in the United States after their third year, with earning potential. The pilot phase will commence with six departments — Department of Aerospace Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science.

The programme is envisaged as the foundation of a broader long-term strategic partnership, with future expansion into postgraduate exchanges, joint or integrated degree programmes, cotutelle pathways, collaborative research initiatives and wider global innovation partnerships. This engagement marks an important step towards strengthening IIT Bombay’s global partnerships and building a sustained academic collaboration with UIUC.

The Office of International Relations, IIT Bombay, recently visited TU Wien as part of the Austrian Government Focus India initiative an important step toward deepening academic and research engagement between leading Austrian technical universities and premier Indian institutions.

During the visit, the IIT Bombay delegation, comprising Prof. Sudarshan Kumar (Dean, International Relations), Dr. Ipsita Das (Senior Project Manager), and Ms. Chandrika (Outbound Student Coordinator), held productive discussions with senior leadership at TU Wien to explore avenues for long-term collaboration.

A significant milestone of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster structured student and faculty exchange activities. In addition, both institutions finalized a framework for joint Summer and Winter School programmes, aimed at enabling immersive academic and cultural engagement for students from both sides.

As an immediate outcome of this partnership, ten students from IIT Bombay Civil and Environmental Engineering Department will participate in the upcoming Winter School at TU Wien. This programme is fully funded by TU Wien, marking a strong commitment to supporting global academic mobility.

The next phase of this short-term exchange initiative is planned to be hosted at IIT Bombay, further strengthening the growing academic bonds between India and Austria.

As part of the Austrian GovernmentΓÇÖs ΓÇ£Focus IndiaΓÇ¥ initiative, a delegation from the Office of International Relations, IIT Bombay, visited TU Graz to advance ongoing academic and research collaborations between the two institutions. The delegation included Prof. Sudarshan Kumar (Dean, International Relations), Dr. Ipsita Das (Senior Project Manager), and Ms. Chandrika (Outbound Student Coordinator).

The visit marked an important step in expanding IIT BombayΓÇÖs engagement with leading Austrian technical universities. During the meetings with senior officials at TU Graz, both sides explored opportunities to enhance student and faculty mobility, co-develop academic programmes, and build strong research connections in areas of mutual interest.

A key highlight of the visit was the signing of a generic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which sets the foundation for structured collaboration in student and faculty exchange. This MoU opens doors for future joint activities, research interactions, and academic networking aimed at benefiting both institutions.

The discussions also emphasized the potential of leveraging programmes under the Austrian GovernmentΓÇÖs Focus India scheme and other international funding avenues to support exchange activities.

This collaboration marks a significant step towards building long-term, sustainable academic partnerships between IIT Bombay and TU Graz, fostering global exposure and innovation-driven learning.