IIT Bombay to Launch First Overseas Centre in Japan in Collaboration with Tohoku University

By Neerav May 24, 2025
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In a landmark move, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay is set to establish its first international centre in Japan next year. The upcoming centre, being launched in collaboration with Tohoku University, will be named the Tohoku University–IIT Bombay Joint Institute of Excellence (JIE).

According to a statement from IIT Bombay, the collaboration was formalised on 15 April through a signed joint statement between the two institutions. This overseas venture will initially focus on launching joint PhD programmes, with plans to expand into MTech courses in later phases.

“This collaboration aims to advance academic and research excellence, foster industry-academia co-creation and promote a wide range of collaborative initiatives,” the institute stated.

This marks IIT Bombay’s first international footprint, following similar global expansions by other Indian Institutes of Technology. IIT Delhi and IIT Madras have already launched international campuses in Abu Dhabi and Zanzibar, respectively.

The partnership between IIT Bombay and Tohoku University will also support student and faculty exchanges, as well as cutting-edge research across mutual areas of interest such as sustainable energy, artificial intelligence, materials science, and disaster resilience.

Crucially, this collaboration is expected to deepen the academic and scientific ties between India and Japan, while boosting student mobility between the two countries.

Japan has shown increasing interest in attracting Indian talent. Its education ministry, along with the University of Tokyo, has extended financial support to around 270 Indian graduate students and is enhancing recruitment efforts across South Asia.

Government data reveals that 1,302 Indian students studied in Japan in 2022, a significant rebound following the pandemic’s impact on international mobility. However, fewer than 800 Japanese students are currently studying in India, primarily for short-term courses.

As Japan targets 400,000 international students by 2033, Indian students are expected to play a pivotal role in its globalisation strategy. The establishment of IIT Bombay’s international centre in Japan is likely to serve as a catalyst in achieving this goal, while enhancing academic exchange and innovation between the two nations.

Source: THE PIE NEWS

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