State Department Launches U.S.-India Higher Education Research Collaboration Initiative

On Wednesday, March 6, 2019, the U.S. Department of State’s South and Central Asia Bureau launched Partnership 2020, an initiative to build research partnerships between U.S. and Indian institutions in key 21st century academic fields.

Under this initiative, the U.S. Department of State has granted $1.15 million to the University of Nebraska at Omaha, which will award sub-grants on a competitive basis to U.S. universities to conduct joint research with their Indian counterpart institutions. The initiative will strengthen the strategic partnership between the United States and India through collaborations in higher education and promote related economic growth. Partnership 2020 fields of focus include advanced engineering, artificial intelligence, public health, and energy, among others. The Center for Strategic and International Studies will play an advisory role, identifying existing successful partnerships and liaising with local government and civil society.

In an interview with the Omaha World Herald, UNO Director of International Studies Patrick McNamara said, "This is a very strategic and important time for efforts like Partnership 2020 to be doing outreach — not only for Indian students coming to U.S. universities, but also for U.S. students to better understand India and the world."

Academic institutions wishing to participate in this initiative should visit the Partnership 2020 website.

For more information, contact SCA-Press@state.gov.

DAS Puma launched Partnership 2020 today @StateDept. Initiative will build research partnerships between U.S. and #Indian academic institutions in key 21st century fields, working with @UNOmaha and @CSISIndiaChair. pic.twitter.com/AgdzsT0I4f

— State_SCA (@State_SCA) March 6, 2019