La Trobe University, Australia continues to expand by forging new links with Indian Industry leaders

Feb. 23, 2012 - PRLog -- Professor John Dewar, newly appointed Vice-Chancellor and President of La Trobe University, Australia, has arrived in India on his first official visit to forge Strategic Alliances and sign Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with three leading Indian companies and institutions.

They are the global technology firm HCL, electric vehicle manufacturer Mahindra Reva in Bengaluru, and Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, Rajasthan.
The agreements focus on innovation, new product development and realization, industry collaboration, the commercialization of intellectual property and institutional links.

Professor Dewar was accompanied by Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President, Professor John Rosenberg, and senior delegates from La Trobe University.

The La Trobe University delegation is part of the Victoria Super Trade Mission, which will be taking place in India from 20 to 26 February. 2012. The mission is led by the Victorian Premier, Mr Ted Baillieu.  More than 100 Victorian companies are participating in the trade mission.

Professor Dewar said: ‘I am delighted to be in India as a part of the Victorian Super Trade Mission. La Trobe University is taking a number of significant initiatives during this mission to further enhance its presence in India.

‘We are committed to our relationship with India and look forward to building increasingly strong research and educational collaborations with Indian companies and institutions, and welcoming more Indian students to our campuses in Australia.’
Professor Dewar said the alliance with HCL involves collaboration on research and development of leading-edge technology for Intelligent Transport Systems. It deals with traffic and infrastructure management, security, enhanced driver safety and logistics support for transport operations. It also involves recruitment by the company of La Trobe University graduates.

Professor Dewar will also sign a higher education exchange and co-operation agreement for research and teaching with the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, Rajasthan.

The La Trobe University delegation will then travel to Bengaluru to sign a MOU with Mahindra Reva for joint research and development of an advanced ‘green’ energy management system at the company’s new electric vehicle plant in Bangalore.
Technologies for both these systems were developed by La Trobe University’s Centre for Technology Infusion in Australia, led by Professor Jugdutt (Jack) Singh.
They have already been installed, respectively, in a hundred cars for a major road and rail safety traffic research project in the southern Australian State of Victoria, and in Australia’s first Zero Emission House, built last year by the Government peak science research body, CSIRO and private industry.

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