New Delhi: BITS Pilani and IIT Madras have signed a five-year agreement to expand academic and research collaboration, including a student exchange programme that will allow students from both institutions to take courses, undertake research and work on projects at the partner campus.
Under the exchange programme, participating students will be designated as special exchange students and can enrol in courses for credit or audit, subject to approval from the relevant faculty members or project supervisors and fulfilment of applicable prerequisites.
A key provision of the programme is a tuition-fee waiver at the host institution. Credits and grades earned during the exchange will be recognised by the student’s home institution based on the academic report provided by the host institution.
The MoU, signed at the IIT Madras campus on September 29, provides a framework for collaboration in areas of mutual academic and research interest. It also covers exchange of faculty, academic and scholarly information, materials and publications, as well as joint seminars, workshops and other academic meetings.
The agreement was signed by Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani, and Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras. Prof. Arya Kumar, Institute-wide Dean, Alumni Relations; Prof. Sounak Roy, Institute-wide Dean, Research and Innovation; and Prof. Raj Kumar Gupta, Professor, Department of Physics, BITS Pilani, were also present.
“This collaboration with IIT Madras will create new opportunities for student mobility, joint research and faculty engagement, and will strengthen the larger culture of collaboration among India’s leading institutions,” said Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani.
Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said the two institutions would work across areas including critical and emerging technologies and wellness initiatives, while learning from each other’s practices.
The agreement also provides for broader academic and research engagement between the institutions, including joint research and faculty interaction.
The student exchange provision gives students at the two institutions a structured route to access academic coursework, research activities and project opportunities at the partner institution while retaining recognition of the academic work by their home institution.
