17 November 2011: Professor Schwartz, the Vice-Chancellor of Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, has announced an expansion in investments in the education and cross-cultural development of Indian students.

Visiting Delhi with his team to meet with existing partners and establish new research collaborations, the vice-chancellor joined hands with Confederation of Indian Industry’s India@ 75 Mission by announcing scholarships worth AUD$11million to fund and support Indian students.

Macquarie scholarships will be offered to graduates across all major Indian Universities/IIT's & IIM's to undertake PhDs and engage in jointly supervised research projects by spending time at their home institution and at Macquarie, Sydney.

The scholarships’ primary beneficiaries are: University of Mumbai, Anna University, University of Madras, Cochin University of Science & Technology and University of Calcutta.

"Macquarie is recognized as a world-leader in research in areas such as wireless technology, environmental science and cognitive science," Professor Schwartz said.  “Our international reputation in these areas attracts research students from across India and around the world and we are proud to support them with these scholarships,” he added.

India@75 is an initiative of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for realizing the dream of an inclusive, sustainable and developed India by year 2022, when India completes 75 years of Independence.

Macquarie's current research collaborations in India include:

• Research publications co-authored with 34 different Indian institutions over the past six years;

• Ektaal: Macquarie University's Great India Project – A student-faculty exchange program to promote mutual understanding and respect for the two cultures; and

• Agreements with the National Law School campuses in Bangalore and Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat

"This is evidence of our increasing commitment to India, as well as our rise in international prominence - as shown by our move up the Academic Ranking of World Universities over the past five years," said Professor Schwartz.

Schwartz is accompanying the Premier of New South Wales, Mr. Barry O'Farrell, and other leaders from Australian government, academia and private companies in his seven- day visit to India which concludes on Saturday 19 November.

By BrainGain Staff Reporter