The first joint PhD program between The University of Western Australia and an Indian research institution has been established.

The historic agreement between UWA and The Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) was signed on 29 March 2022 and formally launched during a special presentation attended by UWA and AcSIR leaders today.

The UWA Institute of Agriculture Director Hackett Professor Kadambot Siddique met with AcSIR Director Professor Rajender Singh Sangwan and his colleagues in Uttar Pradesh.

Image: UWA Hackett Professor Kadambot Siddique and AcSIR Professor Rajender Singh Sangwan.

Hackett Professor Siddique said the joint PhD program in science and technology, including agriculture/plant science, was a momentous achievement for both institutions.

“We have enjoyed a long and productive history of collaboration with AcSIR,” he said.

“The joint PhD program will further strengthen this partnership and help facilitate more co-operative research collaborations for many years to come.”

Hackett Professor Siddique said he expected the program to result in many positive research outcomes and high-quality journal publications.

"It will provide new and exciting opportunities for science and technology innovation for both countries, particularly for the postgraduate students."

Hackett Professor Kadambot Siddique

Professor Sangwan said the collaboration between AcSIR and UWA provided a perennial platform for faculty members of UWA and AcSIR scientists to engage in frontier areas of mutual interest research.

“It facilitates opportunities of peer-to-peer learning for doctoral research students,” he said.

“This also lays the foundation of active collaboration among PhD students of AcSIR and UWA – the future scientists and science leaders.”

Image: Arpita Sengupta, Dr Ajay Dhar and Professor Rajender Singh Sangwan from AcSIR, UWA Hackett Professor Kadambot Siddique and AcSIR's Aarti Katoch.

UWA Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Anna Nowak praised the efforts of both the UWA Institute of Agriculture and the Graduate Research School which culminated in this alliance.

“The joint PhD program will build on already strong collaborative research projects between UWA and AcSIR,” Professor Nowak said.