Pioneering role honoured

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has felicitated Deakin University’s Professor Peter Hodgson for his outstanding contribution to the Indian Academia and Industry.

The CII is a 117-year-old not-for-profit, industry led and managed premier business association with a direct membership of over 7100 Indian companies from the private as well as public sectors.

These include SMEs and MNCs and an indirect membership of over 90,000 companies from around 250 national and regional sectoral associations across India.

Professor Hodgson, one of the Australian Government’s inaugural ARC Australian Laureate Fellows, was presented with the Felicitation at the CII’s 4th Global Higher Education Summit.

For over the past seven years, Professor Hodgson has travelled extensively across India and has been instrumental in introducing the concept of Industry - Academia partnership in India. During his more than 50 visits to India, he has been able to establish  successful partnerships with leading Indian Universities and Institutes including:

• University of Mumbai
• SASTRA University
• The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
• IIT Bombay
• IIT Madras
• IIT Delhi
• IIT Indore
• IIT Roorkee
• IIT Kharagpur
• Indian Institute of Science

Leading Indian companies with whom Professor Hodgson has forged partnerships include:

• Indian Oil
• TATA Steel
• Bharat Forge
• Biocon

This is a feat that not many globally renowned universities have achieved.

Through the Deakin India Research Initiative (DIRI), a brainchild of Professor Hodgson, launched in India on 1st October 2009, the University  has been able to provide 15 active Industry Academia Partnerships, many of which are being used as case studies and benchmarks across India and Australia as an ideal model for engagement.

More than 40 research projects are being undertaken through these partnerships and over $A3 million have been invested towards collaborative research work in these partnerships.

As an offshoot of the DIRI Model, the joint Nanobiotechnology Research Centre was established in New Delhi in 2012 by TERI and Deakin with total projected joint investment in excess of $A8 million and with the goal of producing more than 50 PhD students over the next five years.

“I am grateful for this award, but rather than a personal honour, I think it reflects more on the great work that Deakin has been doing in India,” Professor Hodgson said.

“I was particularly pleased at a recent graduation to see our first PhD under the DIRI scheme presented with her degree, Dr Abhilasha Tiwari.

“DIRI is a scheme that links industry and academia in both India and Australia. I have always been grateful for the support that Deakin has received from the Australian High Commission in New Delhi and the Australian Government bodies such as Austrade and the support extended by the Indian Government, Industry partners and academic institutions.”

“Additionally, I am very proud of the relationship that Deakin has created with TERI, particularly the Nanobiotechnology Research Centre in New Delhi.”

“We recently had the Director, Dr Alok Adholeya, visit us in Geelong, and his message was that the Centre is growing faster than anyone expected.

“Again, I believe that reflects well on the reputations of both TERI and Deakin.”

Professor Jane den Hollander, the Vice-Chancellor of Deakin University, who has played a pivotal role in increasing Deakin University’s international footprint and especially the engagement with India, was present at the award function.

“Deakin is proud of its engagement with India and the recognition that Professor Hodgson’s work has received,” she said.

“Some of our brightest students and alumni are from India and we are keen to be involved in India’s development, growth and future as a true partner.”

Hear Professor Hodgson interviewed on Asia Pacific here:

Watch the presentation ceremonies here: