Prof. Karun Rawat, Dean of International Relations, IIT Roorkee, represented the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee during the IIT/IISc delegation visit to France (8–12 June 2026) and participated in a high-level academic engagement hosted by Université Paris Cité (Odéon Campus) under the aegis of UDICE, the alliance of 13 leading French research universities.
The programme commenced with a welcome session, followed by opening remarks from Prof. Edouard Kaminski, President of Université Paris Cité; Mr. Madhav R. Sulphule, First Secretary, @Embassy of India in France; and Mr. Audelin Chappuis, Deputy Director for Higher Education and Research, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France.
The delegation received an overview of UDICE from Ms. Catherine Saracco PhD, Secretary-General, UDICE. A presentation on the IITs and IISc ecosystem was delivered by Prof. Amit Prashant, Dean of External Relations, IIT Gandhinagar.
The discussions featured expert perspectives on higher education, research, and innovation ecosystems in France and India, including presentations by Dr. Philippe Maurin, Scientific and Academic Cooperation Attaché, Consulate General of France in Mumbai; Prof. Laurent Counillon on French Research and Innovation; and Mr. Louis Avigdor, who highlighted the role and impact of the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research).
The meeting focused on opportunities to implement strategic collaborative projects in emerging and high-impact domains, including Quantum Technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Technologies, Biotechnology, Advanced Research, Capacity Building, and Specialized Training Programmes. Participants explored avenues for joint research initiatives, innovation-driven partnerships, technology transfer, faculty and student exchanges, and interdisciplinary academic collaborations between Indian and French institutions.
The discussions also examined the transformative impact of emerging technologies on education and training systems, including AI-enabled teaching and learning, personalized education, digital learning platforms, academic assessment, research productivity, and future workforce development. The meeting was a great opportunity to network and identify collaboration opportunities in research, innovation, digital transformation, student mobility, faculty exchanges, training programmes, and joint academic initiatives between premier Indian institutions and leading French universities.
Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee
Udice – French Research Universities
French Embassy in India / Ambassade de France en Inde
Ministry of External Affairs, India