New Delhi/Mumbai: Senior leaders from the University of Sydney will travel to India next week as the Australian institution seeks to deepen its research and education partnerships and identify new areas of collaboration with Indian institutions, industry and government.

The four-day visit, scheduled from 31 August to 3 September 2026, will cover Delhi and Mumbai and will focus on strengthening existing relationships while exploring opportunities for expanded academic and research cooperation.

The delegation will be led by Professor Mike Ryan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), and Kirsten Andrews, Vice-President (External Engagement).

The visit comes as universities in Australia and India continue to expand institutional links beyond student mobility, with greater emphasis on joint research, knowledge exchange and long-term academic partnerships.

Delhi engagements

The delegation will begin its visit in Delhi, where the University of Sydney will confer an Honorary Doctor of Laws on Emeritus Professor Upendra Baxi, the internationally recognised legal scholar and human rights advocate.

The programme will also include a briefing at the Public Health Foundation of India, along with an engagement with University of Sydney alumni living and working in the country.

The alumni event will be attended by the Australian High Commissioner to India, who will deliver brief remarks.

For the University, meeting alumni is expected to provide an opportunity to understand how graduates of the institution are contributing across India’s professional, academic and public spheres.

Mumbai focus on institutional collaboration

The delegation will then travel to Mumbai, where discussions with existing partners will continue.

One of the key engagements will be the formalisation of the renewal of the University’s Memorandum of Understanding with Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

The renewed agreement is intended to provide a framework for closer cooperation in research and education between the two institutions.

The Mumbai programme will also include meetings with partners from industry and other stakeholders as the University explores areas where its engagement with India can be expanded.

Beyond student mobility

Professor Mike Ryan said the University sees India as a long-term research partner and that Australian universities should look beyond international student recruitment when approaching the country’s higher education sector.

“India has enormous research capability, and Australian universities need to approach it as a long-term partner, not simply as a source of international students,” Ryan said.

He added that the delegation would use the visit to reconnect with researchers already working with the University and identify areas where the two sides could expand their collaboration.

Kirsten Andrews said maintaining direct engagement with partners, alumni, industry and government was important as the University considers its future work in India.

The visit, she said, would help the University better understand developments in the country and use those conversations to shape its next phase of engagement.

With established academic relationships already in place, the delegation’s visit signals the University of Sydney’s intention to build on its presence in India through research partnerships, institutional cooperation and broader engagement with India’s higher education and innovation ecosystem.