An Indo-Kiwi Venture creates a new landmark in education
Venkat Raman
Auckland, December 7, 2022
In what is stated to be the first of a kind in New Zealand, Massey University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras to promote a wide range of academic activities.
Valid for five years, the MoU envisages collaborative research activities, joint applications for third-party funding, participation in seminars and academic meetings, exchange of publications, academic materials and other information and exchange of existing staff.
The Understanding, structured by Associate Professor Robyn Andrews and Professor Merin Simi Raj of Massey University and IIT Madras, recognises that both institutions have common interests and that there will be mutual benefits from collaboration and cooperation.
Origins of an Understanding
Dr Andrews said that the MoU has its origins to the first meeting that she had with Dr Simi Raj in October 2015.
“Dr Simi Raj sent an email in which she said that she had been following my Anglo-Indian (AI) studies research. I completed my AI-focused anthropology PhD in 2005 and she was beginning some of her own and was supervising a PhD student working in the AI Studies field. She hoped to me during my visit to India and identify an AI studies project for collaboration,” she said.
Both of them jointly convened two conferences under the Anglo-Indian theme in 2017 and 2018, fully funded by IIT Madras. Both were three-day events with more than 260 abstracts submitted.
In February 2019, Dr Andrews spent two weeks at IIT Madras working with Dr Simi Raj on their book. She was also invited to address a seminar for postgraduate students.
Dr Andrew said that she delivered a guest lecture in August 2019 for about 60 students at IIT Madras as a part of the Education New Zealand Roadshow.
“During this visit, we discussed the possibility of formalising the relationship between our two institutions,” Dr Andrews said.
The collaboration between the two academics continued in 2020 when Dr Simi Raj had an article published in the International Journal of Anglo-Indian Studies, of which Dr Andrews is a Co-Editor, with the support of Massey University.
Book launch and thereafter
In February 2021, Dr Andrews and Dr Simi Raj published a Book titled, Anglo-Indian Identity: Past and Present, in India and the Diaspora through Palgrave Macmillan.
Dr Andrews said that the Book was initially based on the 2017 and 2018 Conferences.
“We had two events, one in August in Palmerston North at which the Book was launched by College of Humanities and Social Sciences Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Cynthia White and Emeritus Professor Sekhar Bandyopadhyay. The second one, also in August, was via Zoom, organised primarily by Professor Simi Raj. Amongst others, the President-in-Chief of the All India Anglo-Indian Association attended and spoke as one of the chief guests,” she said.
This very successful collaboration then led to discussion around developing an MOU, which was finalised in early December 2022.
Professor White was thrilled with the agreement.
“The collaborative work that Robyn and Merin have done to date has been significant and we are grateful for this new partnership. I am excited about student and staff exchange and visiting scholar opportunities. IIT Madras has a two-year Master of Arts programme in Development Studies, English studies and Culture studies. We can explore the possibility of scholarly exchange between their students from this programme and our students from the Master of International Development, Master of Arts and Master of Sustainable Development Goals programmes as a starting point,” she said.
About IIT Madras
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras is a public technical university located in Chennai on a 2.5 Sq Km campus, accounting for 10,000 students, about 600 teachers and 1250 administrative and support staff.
Established in 1959 by the Indian government with technical and financial assistance from West Germany, IIT Madras is recognised as an Institute of National Importance. It is rated among the most prestigious universities in India.
