(From left) Director of IIT Bhubaneswar Madhusudhan Chakraborty, chairman of Press Council of India Justice Markandey Katju and founder-director of WMG, UK, Lord Kumar Bhattacharya at IIT Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 12: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bhubaneswar signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) on its fourth foundation day. WMG is part of the University of Warwick, UK, which provides innovative solutions to industry through research, education and collaboration

“WMG is well-known for interlinking academics with industry. The MoU will facilitate exchange of faculty members and students to work on a collaborative basis with industry. We have already got two projects from them. While one is on low carbon materials, the other relates to working on a joint master’s and PhD programme,” said IIT Bhubaneswar director Madhusudan Chakraborty. On behalf of WMG, its founder-director Lord Kumar Bhattacharya signed the MoU.

Chakraborty said the government had given 936 acres, out of which 400 acres would be used to set up a science park on its new campus, at Aragul on Bhubaneswar outskirts.

“We welcome Indian industries to set up collaborative research laboratories in the park just the way it is being carried out in the University of Warwick. The idea is to foster a strong relationship between academic institutions and industries to promote research and innovation,” Chakraborty said. He added that from the coming academic session in July, the institute would introduce five new master’s programme in electrical communication engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, applied geo-science and climate science and technology.

Director of IIT Kharagpur Damodar Acharya, who was among the guests for the foundation day celebrations, said the country needed more technical institutes. “At present, we have 16 IITs. But in my opinion, we need more such institutes to cater to the rising demand for technical education,” he said.