Five people around a wooden table exchanging documents
During a recent visit to India, Malcolm Campbell, U of G vice-president (research), second from left, exchanged memorandum of understanding documents with officials from LUVAS, a major veterinary university in the country. Far left, Prof. Pavneesh Madan, Ontario Veterinary College.

Following an intensive series of discussions, the University of Guelph has signed four partnership agreements with major post-secondary institutions in India.

These formal agreements in research, education and outreach strengthen U of G’s role as a global leader in veterinary medicine and One Health, said Malcolm Campbell, vice-president (research).

Campbell signed the agreements during a recent visit to India with Ben Bradshaw, assistant vice-president (graduate studies) and Prof. Pavneesh Madan, Ontario Veterinary College.

Two men sign documents at a round table
Malcolm Campbell, vice-president (research), and JPS Gill, director of research, GADVASU, renew a partnership agreement.

“U of G’s mission to improve life resonates strongly in India, where there is a shared desire to use discovery, innovation, education, training and outreach to make a positive impact on people’s lives, every day,” Campbell said.

A formal relationship with Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) has been renewed, and a new one established with Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS).

As well, new relationship agreements were created with CCS Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) and Guru Jambheshwar University (GJU), a leading Indian comprehensive university.

Campbell said they represent “phenomenal opportunities” for U of G and India’s post-secondary institutions.

“The partnerships with these outstanding Indian institutions will catalyze the exchange of ideas, knowledge and people, thereby powering critical discoveries, fuelling innovation and training the next generation of thought leaders in veterinary medicine and One Health,” Campbell said.

He added that many of the world’s greatest challenges in human and animal health are experienced acutely in India. “By partnering with these leading Indian universities, U of G can help make a difference that improves lives on a global scale.”

Five men smiling following formal talks
From left, Canada’s High Commissioner to India Nadir Patel and Indian government official Vikas Swarup meet with U of G biomedical sciences professor Pavneesh Madan; Malcolm Campbell, vice-president (research); and Ben Bradshaw, assistant vice-president (graduate studies), at Canada House in Delhi.

The partnership with HAU will build on shared expertise in agricultural research and education and accelerate research collaborations, Campbell said. Like U of G, HAU has longstanding strengths in crop development and animal science.

“We both bring a lot to the table for joint collaboration,” said Campbell. “We have a tremendous amount of shared interests and, crucially, we both have phenomenal students and researchers. The cross-pollination of experience and ideas, driven by incredible people, will be game-changing for both institutions.”

The partnership with GJU is a “natural fit” for U of G due to shared strengths ranging from marketing to nanotechology, Campbell said. A strong emphasis on the importance of the humanities and on developing the whole student is another commonality, he said.

During its visit, the U of G contingent connected with more than a dozen universities, met with Canadian diplomats and established new formal relationships with key institutions.