UWA highlights the importance of international collaboration as Australia and India deepen strategic ties through education, innovation and research

The University of Western Australia (UWA) today reaffirmed its long-term commitment to India by participating in the historic Australia–India CEO Forum, while also unveiling, for the first time, the designs of its Mumbai and Chennai international branch campuses.

Representing UWA at the Forum were Chancellor Dr Diane Smith-Gander AO, Vice-Chancellor Professor Jennifer Howell, and Nashid Chowdhury, Director (Global Growth & Advocacy). The delegation joined senior government leaders, industry captains and institutional representatives from both nations to explore new opportunities to strengthen bilateral collaboration across education, trade, research, innovation and economic growth.

A key highlight of the visit was participation in the Education Roundtable, hosted by the Hon Jason Clare, Australia's Minister for Education. The discussions reinforced the importance of developing a strong community of practice amongst leading international higher education institutions establishing campuses in India—an initiative actively fostered by the Australian Government. This collaborative approach is expected to accelerate knowledge sharing, academic excellence, research partnerships and student mobility, while collectively strengthening India's emergence as a global education destination.

Dr Diane Smith-Gander AO, Chancellor, The University of Western Australia, said. “It has been incredibly encouraging to be in Melbourne for the Australia–India CEO Business Forum and the education roundtable, both of which reaffirmed the depth and momentum of the partnership between our two countries. These conversations are a reminder that the future of higher education is built on meaningful collaboration between governments, industry and academia. At the University of Western Australia, our approach in India has always been to build genuine local partnerships that reflect the strengths and aspirations of the communities we serve. One of our earliest collaborations was with D.Y. Patil, driven by a shared interest in advancing sports science and research. These partnerships are about more than academic exchange – they are about co-creating opportunities, fostering innovation and ensuring our students graduate with globally relevant skills while remaining deeply connected to local industry and community needs. As we continue to strengthen our presence in India, we look forward to expanding these collaborations and contributing to the next chapter of the Australia–India education partnership.”

UWA also participated in the CAIRs Economic Roadmap Session, which examined future opportunities across critical minerals, clean energy, advanced technologies and innovation. The session reinforced the central role that universities will play in developing future-ready talent, driving research collaboration and supporting industry-led economic growth between Australia and India.

These discussions closely align with UWA's vision for India. As the University prepares to welcome its inaugural students to its Mumbai and Chennai campuses later this year, it is committed to bringing globally recognised Australian education to India through world-class faculty, generous scholarship opportunities, internationally benchmarked curricula, industry-integrated learning and a truly global student experience.

Coinciding with the Australia–India CEO Forum, UWA India today officially unveiled the campus designs for its Mumbai and Chennai branch campuses, offering students, parents and industry partners their first glimpse of the University's state-of-the-art learning environments. Designed to reflect UWA's global standards while responding to India's dynamic educational landscape, the campuses will provide modern teaching spaces, collaborative learning environments and technology-enabled facilities that support innovation, entrepreneurship and industry engagement.

The Australia–India CEO Forum brought together senior business and government leaders to support the ambitions of the Australia–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Australia–India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA). For UWA, participation in these conversations reflects its ambition to be a long-term partner in India's growth story—not only by educating future leaders, but by contributing to research, innovation, industry collaboration and entrepreneurship that benefit both nations.

As Australia and India continue to deepen one of the world's most significant strategic partnerships, UWA is proud to play a leading role in shaping the future of transnational education and strengthening the enduring people-to-people connections that underpin this relationship.