Last month, from October 9 to 12, a delegation of professors, researchers and experts from IITD visited Sorbonne University in Paris. This was the first French meeting of the two universities, who officially signed a strategic partnership agreement in February of this year at the creation of the Franco-Indian Campus for Health.

On the back of this milestone delegation, Manidipa Banerjee, professor in biological sciences at IITD, is looking positively on the experience.

“I was amazed by the wealth of facilities at Sorbonne University,” she notes, “as well as the energetic interactions between scientists.” Collaborative activity between the two institutions is already underway, particularly in common fields of strength including climate science, neuroscience, microbiology and cancer biology. From here, Manidipa believes “we can look forward to more potential areas of collaboration.”

Prof. James Gomes, IITD's Dean for International Programmes, also noticed the mutual enthusiasm and complementary expertise between hosts and visitors throughout his week at Sorbonne University. “There is a lot of synergy between our institutions, and we have so much more to give each other.”

Both Banerjee and Gomes are delighted by the results achieved by the partnership thus far. The first of IITD’s PhD exchange students will arrive at Sorbonne University this month, seed grants are being developed, and joint workshop dates are set for next February back in Delhi. Gomes has also identified opportunities for collaboration with Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.

With the partnership racing full speed ahead, Banerjee attributes its early successes to the way both teams gelled not only on a scientific level, but on a personal level, too: “You do the best science with the people you like.”

Sorbonne University’s partnership with IITD follows the creation of a Franco-Indian campus for Health, an initiative that responded to the call for projects launched by the Ministries of Europe and Foreign Affairs and of Higher Education and Research. It was designed to strengthen academic and scientific cooperation with India, and more specifically in the field of life sciences for health.

Sorbonne University is one of four establishments that has been awarded funding for the creation of a French-Indian campus.