Australia's, University of Wollongong has announced the signing of a Letter of Intent with the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) to establish a location for teaching, research and industry engagement in GIFT City in a partnership or on a stand-alone basis.

This makes UoW first Australian university to set up its base in GIFT City. Initially, the University aims to focus on finance, business and STEM undergraduate programmes. The programmes are planned to commence in early September 2023.

UoW has announced new Vice-Chancellor scholarships worth AUD $30,000 each for two exceptional Indian students wishing to enrol in a programme at one of UOW’s Australian campuses in 2023. The applications will open in May 2023, a statement said.

Bilateral ties

UOW shares ties with India through strategic research collaborations in the fields of 3D bioprinting, transportation, advanced medicine solutions, and nurturing Indian talent through scholarships, and has long been a popular choice for Indian students studying in Australia.

At the signing ceremony, UOW Executive Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law Professor Colin Picker, said having a teaching location in Gujarat will further strengthen relationships between the two countries and the sister-state relationship between NSW and Gujarat.

"We are delighted to be the first Australian university on track to have a teaching location in India," Prof Picker said.

The signing ceremony was attended by Stuart Ayres MP, Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, New South Wales Government and UOW Global Brand Ambassador and cricketing legend Adam Gilchrist AM. Former Australian cricket captain Adam Gilchrist has close relationships with India due to his exceptional career in cricket and his ongoing role as UOW’s Global Brand Ambassador since 2008.