Ministry of Science and TU Dresden drive the acquisition and training of academic specialists for Saxony

Saxony and the Indian state of Tamil Nadu have agreed on close cooperation and communication in science and technology. During his trip to South-East India, Minister of Science Sebastian Gemkow signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) together with Minister for Higher Education of Tamil Nadu, Dr. K. Ponmudy, as well as A. Karthik, Principal Secretary in the Higher Education Department of Tamil Nadu, and the Rector of TU Dresden (TUD), Prof. Ursula Staudinger.

In the JDI, the signatories express their commitment to promote academic and technological exchange and to cooperate in particular in the fields of microelectronics, materials science and related technologies. Other areas of focus include the promotion of talented students and the development of joint research activities.

After signing, the Minister of Science Sebastian Gemkow remarked:
“The region of Tamil Nadu is the ideal partner for Saxony for cooperation in science and technology. The signed declaration lays the foundation for a joint platform in the academic training of specialists and for research cooperation from which both sides will benefit. With TU Dresden as a strong partner, we can create optimal local conditions to prepare Indian students for studying in Dresden and also establish a direct link to the technology leaders in the European technology and semiconductor industry. By networking future specialists with technology companies in Saxony at an early stage, we are actively supporting the Saxon economy in attracting specialists.”

Minister Gemkow was accompanied on the trip by a delegation of 16 scientists from TU Dresden. In the presence of the Minister, TUD signed a cooperation agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) in the regional capital of Chennai. In addition, TUD is working with TUDAG (TUD stock company), a subsidiary of the university with over 25 companies and shareholdings, to set up an onboarding campus where Indian students can be prepared for studying at TU Dresden. The aim is to facilitate a genuine transfer of skilled labor. Today, onboarding encompasses the entire process of integrating future specialists with a professional, organizational, social and cultural introduction.

To support these various activities, the Free State of Saxony will also set up a Scientific Liaison Office in Chennai, which will be run by TUD.

Rector Prof. Ursula Staudinger added:
“TUD can build on long-standing cooperations with IIT Madras, particularly in the field of sustainability research. The extended agreement with IIT now also includes biomedical research, microelectronics and computer science. Simultaneously, TU Dresden is an appealing place of study for students from India. This winter semester, for the first time, Indian students make up the largest group of international first-year students at TUD. At the same time, TUD has expertise and decades of experience in knowledge and technology transfer with Saxon companies and can also use this in its cooperation with IIT Madras.”

The delegation program led by Minister of Science Sebastian Gemkow included additional meetings with high-level representatives of the Tamil Nadu government and visits to scientific institutions.

Background on the partner region of Tamil Nadu:
The Indian state of Tamil Nadu is located in South-East India and is one of the country's most industrialized regions, of which the technology industry is one of the focal points. The educational infrastructure includes 21 universities as well as private and state colleges for specialized, vocational and general education. Chennai, the state capital, is also home to the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), which is one of the most renowned technical universities in India.

Contact:
Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism
Press and Public Relations Science
Phone: +49 351 564-60200
Mobile: +49 172 7978062

www.smwk.sachsen.de