Strengthening Ties IIT Bombay Officials Delve into Collaborative Opportunities in Academia and Culture

On Tuesday, May 13, 2025 IIT Bombay hosted a meeting with representatives from the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai. The session aimed to expand academic and cultural partnerships and emphasized the mutual commitment of both countries to collaborate in education, research, and cultural exchange.

In this meeting, Hassan Mohseni-Fard, Consul General of Iran Mumbai, Mohammad Reza Fazel, Director Iran Cultural House in Mumbai, and Hamid Sharifi, a public diplomacy expert, from (IIT) Professor Shirish K. Dhere, President of IIT Bombay, and Professor Milind Atrey, Vice President for Research, explored ways to enhance scientific and academic interactions. Key proposals included student and faculty exchange programs, joint research projects, and the organization of cultural events. A significant decision made during the meeting was the establishment of a joint working group to expedite the implementation of existing agreements with Iranian universities, including the University of Tehran, and to review new agreements. The President of IIT Bombay also announced that the process for admitting Iranian students would be facilitated and that the possibility of scholarships would be explored.

The organization of joint festivals, academic visits, and cultural exchanges were also discussed as additional strategies to strengthen people-to-people connections. Mohammad Reza Fazel, head of the Iranian Cultural House in Mumbai, emphasized the importance of cultural interactions and the role of scientific collaborations in reinforcing the historical ties between the two nations, welcoming the proposal to showcase Iranian culture and art in the cultural programs of the university's students.

It is noteworthy that IIT Bombay (IIT), one of India's premier technology institutes, was established in 1958 with the support of UNESCO and financial assistance from the Soviet Union. Located in Powai, Mumbai, the campus spans over 550 acres and houses 15 academic departments, 20 educational centers, and 4 interdisciplinary programs covering a wide range of engineering, natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, industrial design, and management disciplines.