Delhi & Mumbai, June 16, 2026: The University of Western Australia (UWA) has reinforced its long-term commitment to India following Chancellor Dr Diane Smith-Gander AO’s visit to Delhi and Mumbai from 10–13 June 2026. The visit marked a significant milestone in UWA’s growing engagement with India, bringing together government, industry, academic and community stakeholders to strengthen collaboration across education, research, innovation and future-ready skills development. India plays a key role in UWA’s global vision, with the University focused on building long-term partnerships that connect talent, research, industry and innovation across the Indo-Pacific.
The four-day visit included the unveiling of UWA India’s branch campus progress, the launch of the UWA India Industry Advisory Board, the announcement of a sports collaboration with leading badminton coach Pullela Gopichand, the strengthening of the Global Engagement Alliance, and engagement with UWA’s Global Leadership initiatives.
Speaking on the visit, Dr Diane Smith-Gander AO, Chancellor of The University of Western Australia, said: “India represents one of the most important partnerships for Australia’s future. The relationship between our two countries is increasingly built on capability — on people, knowledge, technology and trust. UWA’s engagement in India reflects our commitment to creating opportunities for students, researchers, industry and communities to collaborate and address shared global challenges. UWA’s entry into India represents a significant long-term commitment to building a meaningful presence in the market. We are establishing our campuses independently, bringing the spirit, values and academic excellence of our Perth campus to India while creating a learning environment that reflects the aspirations, culture and opportunities of this dynamic nation. This is about more than delivering education; it is about building enduring partnerships and creating meaningful impact for generations to come.”
Advancing UWA’s Gglobal Eengagement Vvision: A key focus of the visit was UWA’s commitment to global engagement as a cornerstone of its UWA 2030 strategy. Recognising the growing importance of international collaboration, UWA has elevated Global Engagement as a strategic priority within the University Executive, with Prof.essor Jennifer Howell appointed as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement). Her role reflects UWA’s commitment to deepening global partnerships and creating greater impact through collaboration with industry, government and academic institutions.
During the India visit, Professor. Jennifer Howell led engagement with key stakeholders, reinforcing UWA’s focus on building ecosystems that support innovation, research collaboration, talent development and economic growth. “Global engagement is about creating lasting partnerships that generate shared value,” said Prof.essor Jennifer Howell. “India’s scale, ambition and innovation capability present extraordinary opportunities, and UWA is committed to building connections that empower students, industry and communities across both nations.”
UWA India Ccampus Mmilestone: A key highlight of the visit was the progress of UWA’s Mumbai branch campus, marking an important milestone in the University’s long-term commitment to India’s education, industry and innovation ecosystem. During the visit, Dr Diane Smith-Gander AO toured the Mumbai campus in Andheri East, with guests receiving an exclusive look at the vision for the campus interiors. The design celebrates a harmonious blend of Indian heritage and Australian roots, incorporating elements inspired by UWA’s Perth campus while creating a distinctly Indian learning environment.
The Mumbai campus is advancing towards operational readiness and is on track to be fully functional and ready to welcome students by August 2026. The campus will offer globally recognised undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across STEM, business and technology disciplines, aligned with industry needs and India’s evolving workforce priorities. The MBA programme will commence in November 2026.
Launch of UWA India Industry Advisory Board: A major outcome of the visit was the establishment of the UWA India Industry Advisory Board, bringing together leaders from industry, academia and government to guide UWA India’s strategic growth. The Advisory Board will help align academic offerings, research priorities and industry partnerships with India’s evolving economic landscape, while strengthening opportunities for students through industry exposure, internships, mentorship, innovation projects and workforce-aligned learning experiences.
The board members include Professor Sharath Sriram, Chief Scientist of Western Australia; Pia Turcingy, AM Co-Founder & General Partner at Fund WA; Rajiv Podar, Chairman and Managing Director, Podar Enterprise; Gaven Standon, Executive,Telstra & President, AustCham India; Ambika Natarajan, Senior Vice President – Ed Tech & HCL Tech; Ms Roopa P, Chief Economist & Head, Policy Advocacy, Social Impact, Tata Sons Private Limited &and Dr Jyothi Tegginamath, Founder Director of NiA Pharmaceuticals.
Strengthening India–Australia Ccollaboration Tthrough Ssport: UWA announced a Memorandum of Understanding with renowned badminton coach and sports leader Pullela Gopichand to explore opportunities for collaboration in sports education, high-performance training, research and athlete development. The partnership reflects UWA’s broader commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, recognising sport as a platform for leadership, wellbeing, innovation and international exchange.
Building Gglobal Lleaders for a Cconnected Wworld: The visit also highlighted UWA’s Global Leadership Program — a six-month immersive leadership experience designed to bring together senior leaders to explore international markets, cross-border strategy, innovation ecosystems and future-focused leadership practices across India and Australia. Through initiatives such as the Global Engagement Alliance, UWA is strengthening connections between students, academics, researchers and employers through internships, research collaborations, mentorship and innovation opportunities.
A Ppartnership Bbuilt on Sshared Ccapability: India’s young, digitally connected population and expanding innovation ecosystem present significant opportunities for collaboration. UWA’s presence in India is designed to contribute to this momentum through education, research and industry partnerships. Western Australia’s strengths in critical minerals, clean energy, agriculture, ocean science and advanced engineering align closely with India’s priorities in industrial development and sustainable growth.
The Chancellor’s visit highlighted the evolving Australia–India relationship — one increasingly defined by shared capability, knowledge exchange and long-term collaboration. Through its expanding presence in India, UWA continues to strengthen connections between India and Western Australia, building the partnerships, talent and innovation needed to shape the future.
About The University of Western Australia:
At UWA, our motto, Seek Wisdom, is at the heart of what we do. As Western Australia’s first and leading university, we have generated remarkable, life-changing outcomes. The global impact of our research, partnerships, and innovative courses places us as a world top 100 university (QS 2025).
For more information, please visit: https://india.uwa.edu.au
