McRobbie visits India to strengthen relations

IU President Michael McRobbie has been lauded for opening doors for IU on the international stage. 

For the first time in at least four decades, a sitting IU president traveled to India to increase study abroad opportunities for IU students, promote IU as an ideal location for foreign exchange and forge business partnerships.

“This trip to India is very important to the University as we continue to raise our international profile and prepare students to become leaders in an increasingly global society,” McRobbie said in a press release.

McRobbie, along with various IU deans and professor Sumit Ganguly who is the Rabindranath Tagore Chair in Indian Cultures and Civilizations, began their 11-day trip Aug. 27. The last of the group will return by Thursday.

They have connected with Indian universities, particularly the University of Hyderabad, which is in Indianapolis’ sister city.

IU officials met with some of India’s political officials, including Indian Vice President Shri M. Hamid. Mark Land, associate vice president for university communications, said in an email that these connections will assist in achieving a better understanding of Indian education and ways IU can have a greater influence in India.

“This trip is part of the president’s plan to raise our profile in key international locations,” Land said.

IU signed partnership agreements with four universities and the Confederation of India Industries, which is “the country’s largest advocacy group,” Land said.

He said IU continues to look for further partnership opportunities with other Indian universities, as well.

“Partnering with good Indian schools allows us to raise our profile in India and grow as those universities do,” Land said. “India is a large market and one in which IU historically has not had much of a presence.”

McRobbie announced during the trip that IU will donate a 12,000-volume political science library to India’s O.P Jindal Global University, according to a press release.

“We at Indiana University are delighted that this gift will be used to build upon O.P. Jindal’s own library and to more firmly connect our universities, faculty, students and graduates,” McRobbie said in the release.

Robert Schnabel, dean at IU’s School of Informatics, said he was fascinated by the country’s goal to increase college enrollment by 30 million.

“It will be very difficult to build the number of new universities in India required to accomplish this,” he said. “Thus, it is possible that there will be increasing demand by talented Indian students to do their undergraduate education outside India, including in the U.S.”

There were also two alumni events throughout the trip. One was in Mumbai and the other in New Delhi, which is IU’s newest alumni chapter, Land said.

He said IU’s faculty will also see a positive outcome from the trip.

“Our faculty benefit from the possibility of increased research and teaching opportunities in India,” Land said.

In any case, the establishment of a relationship with India was the main goal of the trip.

“I hope that this trip will lead to a significant increase in IU’s interactions with India in many ways — IU students going to India on exchange and other programs, Indian students coming to IU and joint educational and research relationships,” Schnabel said.