Senior leadership builds networks on the ground in India

A successful trip to India by University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka senior leaders is an important step towards increasing engagement with the region on research and student recruitment, and fostering alumni connections.

At the end of January, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation, Distinguished Professor Greg Cook; Associate Dean International - Health Sciences, Associate Professor Aniruddha Chatterjee; Director Te Whirika - International, Jason Cushen and Director Development and Alumni Relations (DARO), Shelagh Murray, visited universities in Delhi, Mumbai and Vadodara. They also held meetings at the India-NZ Centre and met with alumni at the High Commission in Delhi.

Highlights of the trip included signing Otago’s first Student Exchange Agreement in India, at Ashoka University in Delhi, attending the QS India Conference in Goa and connecting with Otago alumni.

Jason says the visit marked an important step in deepening Otago’s engagement with India as a priority region for both research collaboration and student recruitment.

“The calibre of our conversations over the week reflects the growing recognition of Otago’s strengths in India. Attending the QS India Conference further reinforced the global standing of the University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka and opened valuable new recruitment and partnership pathways.

“Perhaps the highlight of the week was the Otago Connect event at the High Commission in New Delhi where we were joined by alumni, partners, agencies and prospective students for a wonderful evening.”

While in Delhi, the group also visited the University of Southampton’s Gurgaon Campus and met the CEO, and held meetings at IIT Delhi, the host of the India-NZ Centre.

A partner event was held in Mumbai, along with a visit to Atlas SkillTech, a prospective new partner for Otago. The group also attended the Aspire NZ launch at Parul University in Vadodara.

Greg says research was central to many of the meetings during their visit and a key priority for Indian universities is ensuring that graduates possess strong employability and technology skills.

“As economies become increasingly knowledge- and innovation-driven, the long-term value of a degree and university-produced research will depend on its relevance to workforce needs, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship.

“Many of the research and teaching strategies currently being implemented in India — scaling infrastructure, prioritizing employability, strengthening university-industry-government linkages (triple helix framework), and fostering international partnerships — will also hold significant lessons for New Zealand universities.

“As New Zealand institutions look to remain globally competitive, deepen engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, and enhance graduate outcomes, adopting elements of this collaborative, innovation-oriented approach will be increasingly important.”

The Otago Connect Alumni event in New Delhi was held at the New Zealand High Commission, with Shelagh extending special thanks to High Commission staff and Education New Zealand for making the evening a success.

“It was a great opportunity to catch up with fellow alumni, create new networks and strengthen collaboration between alumni, incoming students, international education operators, government partners, and friends of Otago from the Indian community,” Shelagh says.

Increasing engagement with alumni in India is an important focus for DARO and it is intended that the trip will become an annual event.

Aniruddha says it was a privilege to speak at the alumni event and reflect on his own alumni journey, and to see the Otago connections among graduates, both existing and new.

“Events like this remind us that Otago is a global community and together we are stronger and better,” he says.

“These visits were exceptionally fruitful from a leadership and internationalisation perspective, reinforcing Otago’s presence in India and advancing our strategic global partnerships.”

Aniruddha heads the Chatterjee Laboratory of epigenetics and disease focussing on cancer research at Otago. He holds a PhD from Otago, MSc from Vellore Institute of Technology, India, and BSc from Osmania University in Hyderabad, India. He also completed the Leadership and Management Program at The Wharton School in 2023.

-Kōrero by Margie Clark, Communications Adviser, Development and Alumni Relations Office