NE EDUCATION BUREAU
MANIPAL, SEP 30
Manipal Academy of Higher Education and Dalhousie University signed a partnership agreement on Wednesday to broaden the academic and research aspirations between India and Canada, says a MAHE release.
In tandem with this agreement, the first in a planned series of online collaborative research workshops was held with a focus on Cancer Immunotherapy, in which researchers from the two leading institutions had roundtable discussions related to their areas of research and expertise. Cancer immunotherapy has experienced remarkable advances in recent years and critical work is now underway to bring its benefits to patients around the world at an affordable cost. This workshop brought together a small group of Dalhousie and MAHE researchers with common interests and expertise, to spark discussions and new synergies that will lead to greater opportunities for joint research and advancement at both institutions.
Designated as an “Institution of Eminence” by the Government of India, Manipal-based MAHE prioritizes internationalisation of research and strives to be a leading research hub at a global scale. The university excels in drug discovery and delivery, healthy solutions to conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, personalized medicine, infectious diseases, climate change, energy, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning and foresees immense potential in joint research and publications with leading universities across the globe.
A member of the U15 group of Canada’s leading research-intensive universities, Dalhousie is home to world-class researchers who are focused on the university’s strategic research clusters in key areas, including Healthy People, Healthy Communities, Healthy Populations. From world-leading vaccine research to the investigation of the social, cultural and environmental determinants of health and wellness, Dalhousie’s approach to health research is grounded in an understanding that the health of individuals, communities and populations are interconnected and interdependent.
MAHE and Dalhousie have plans to expand the partnership in diverse disciplines. Matt Hebb, Dalhousie’s Vice-President Government and Global Relations, noted: “While today’s workshop will seed new connections among Dalhousie and MAHE researchers working directly in the field of cancer immunotherapy, we recognize that there are many other areas of potential scholarly synergy. We look forward to exploring the potential for future linkages with MAHE in areas such assustainability, global health, and artificial intelligence.”
MAHE’s Vice-Chancellor Lieutenant General Dr. M. D. Venkatesh said: “I am elated that MAHE and Dalhousie are coming together for academic and research cooperation by signing a statement of cooperation.Inclusiveness and diversity inherent in Dalhousie’s strategic planaligns well with MAHE’s core values.”
The event was divided into two consecutive sessions – the virtual signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, followed by the collaborative research workshop. Dr. Balakrishnan Prithiviraj, Associate Vice President Global Relations at Dalhousie, formally opened the event with a welcome address which was followed by remarks from Lt. Gen. Dr. Venkatesh and Hebb, who then signed the Memorandum of Understanding. After closing remarks from Dr. Raghu Radhakrishnan, Director of International Collaborations at MAHE, the collaborative research workshop commenced; it marks a promising beginning to a joint collaboration which has great potential for expansion to a range of scholarly disciplines of collective strategic interest for both institutions.
Researchers from MAHE and Dalhousie have already been collaborating for many years, and this new partnership will deepen these Canada-India ties. Dr. Prachi Kaul, Director of Shastri Indo Canadian Institute lauded the efforts of MAHE and Dalhousie University in strengthening intellectual and cultural linkages through research, dialogue and exchange.
