Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) has entered into collaborations with various universities and global companies in order to strengthen its ties with the international academic community. Recently, CUSAT and the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate student exchanges and cooperative initiation in education, research and development.

The MoU was inked during a two-day visit by a delegation from the University of Ruhuna. In addition, a delegation from corporate giant IBM, led by Slawomir Kumka, Director, IBM Poland Lab, SPSS Statistics Software Development and Support, held a meeting with Dr PG Sankaran, Vice-Chancellor, CUSAT, for a high-level overview of Statistical Products of IBM and related specialisations, as per a report by The New Indian Express.

The meeting discussed enhancing the collaboration with the statistics and mathematics domains in CUSAT, stressing internship and placement initiatives. Both parties shared their insights on student exchange programmes, information sharing, integration of facilities, introduction of joint programmes, curriculum modification and employee sponsorship programmes.

Besides these pioneering meetings, CUSAT has earned another feather for its cap. A couple of days ago, Dr Sreekanth PM, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biotechnology at the university, bagged a research grant of Rs 43.33 lakh from the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) under the Government of India. He will be researching population genetic studies of mangroves in West Coast Asia, as per another report by The New Indian Express.