Pune: Students at Bharati Vidyapeeth could soon get opportunities for international academic exposure, joint research projects and postgraduate pathways in the UK as the university has initiated talks for a strategic partnership with Queen’s University of Belfast.A delegation from the UK university visited Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College and Hospital recently, and other constituent institutions in Pune to discuss student mobility, faculty exchange, collaborative research, dual and joint degree programmes, and new academic initiatives.The delegation included Kathy Brennan, senior partnerships manager for Africa, MENA, central and south Asia; professor Christine Brown Wilson, professor of nursing and international partnerships lead; professor David Rooney, dean of internationalisation and peputation, faculty of engineering and physical sciences and Jonathan Browning, senior lecturer at the school of electronics, electrical engineering and computer science.Vishwajeet Kadam, secretary and pro vice-chancellor of Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), said the proposed collaboration aimed at creating more global opportunities for students while strengthening research and innovation.“International collaborations are essential for preparing globally competent graduates. We are committed to building meaningful partnerships that offer our students and faculty greater opportunities for academic excellence, research, innovation and global exposure,” Kadam said.Members of Queen’s University of Belfast delegation said they were impressed by Bharati Vidyapeeth’s multidisciplinary academic ecosystem and research infrastructure.“We see significant potential for long-term collaboration in student exchange, faculty mobility, collaborative research and innovative academic programmes. We look forward to developing initiatives that benefit students and researchers from both institutions,” the delegation said in a joint statement.
