Chandigarh- Sept 29 : Australia has evinced interest to have closer relationship and cooperation with Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh and Chandigarh Region Innovation and Knowledge Cluster (CRIKC) institutions.
Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Mr Patrick Suckling today visited the university on Tuesday and met the PU Vice Chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover and representatives of CRIKC Institutions at the PU VC Office Committee Room. First Secretary at the Australian High Commission, Mr. Lachlan Scully and Business Development Manager and Chandigarh Representative, Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) Mr Ashish Sharma accompanied Mr Suckling.
Director Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Prof Ashok K Ganguli, CRIKC Coordinator Prof M.M. Gupta, Dean International Students Prof Ramanjit Kaur Johal, Dean Languages Prof Jaspal Kaur Kaang, Dean Alumni Prof Anil Monga, Prof Sanjay Chhiber, Directors and representatives of CSIO, PGI, IIT Ropar and other CRIKC institutions participated in the meeting.
The two sides discussed about Australia-India education and research relationship and opportunities for closer cooperation, including those under the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF). They also explored the possibilities of having cooperation in the field of education and research relationship between Australia and the Chandigarh Region.
Both agreed to hold meetings with all Directors/Heads of CRIKC institutions with the members of education division of Australian High Commission in India to concertize the collaboration plans in advance, before the forthcoming visit of top tier Universities of Australia Visit to India. Leading Australian Universities are to visit India soon.
PU VC Prof Grover informed the Australian delegation about the ongoing cooperation between PU and different Australian Universities.
Mr Patrick Suckling appreciated the ongoing cooperation among the various leading educational institutions and national labs of Chandigarh Region under the aegis of CRIKC. He said that he would like to put Chandigarh on the route map of all visiting Australian educational delegations to India.