Press Release for India Visit: Draft
Trinity College, the University of Dublin, is Ireland’s leading and one of Europe’s
premier universities, and is currently ranked 52 in the QS World University
Rankings. It is a research-intensive university with international strengths in areas
such as Nanoscience, Molecular Medicine, Engineering and the Humanities. 1/3rd
of its 16000 students are postgraduates and every 10th student is undertaking
research for a Ph.D.
The Head of the University, Provost Dr John Hegarty, leads a high ranking delegation on
a visit to India from 22 – 29 November 2010. The delegation includes College Officers
across the three Faculties, the Vice-Provost, Professor Michael Marsh, a Political
Scientist, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Mathematics and Science, Professor
Clive Williams, and the Registrar, Professor Juergen Barkhoff, a Cultural and Literary
Historian.
The purpose of the visit is to strengthen links between Trinity College and cognate topranking Indian universities and institutes across a range of disciplines in the
Sciences and the Humanities, and to instigate bilateral cooperation in the fields of
teaching and research, including exchange of students and staff at all levels.
Trinity College was established in 1592 by Elizabeth I and had strong links with South
Asia for most of its history. It established a chair oriental languages in 1762 and
had a major impact on India in the 19th century, when graduates from disciplines
such as medicine, education, law and played an important role in the Indian
Health and Education Systems. Engineering graduates from Trinity helped build
the Indian Railway System and more than 150 graduates from the College’s
Indian Civil Service School went to the sub-continent. In the early 20th century
George Grierson, a graduate of the College, lead the groundbreaking linguistic
survey of India.
Today Trinity College is now reviving its links with India, but this time not under the flag
of Empire, but as part of globally networked cooperation in education and
science and in order to enhance Irish-Indian innovation, research and business
opportunities. A number of high-profile cooperation projects already exist in the
Sciences with top Indian institutions such as the National Centre for Biological
Sciences NCBS in Bangalore.
Two years ago Trinity College founded the South Asia Initiative, which brings together
teaching and research in Trinity across a range of disciplines in the Humanities
and Society Sciences and gives fresh impetus to engagement with India in
particular. It also seeks to raise awareness of Indian history, culture and society
within Ireland and for this purpose has developed strong ties with the Indian
community in Ireland. A newly appointed post in Indian history and culture is
supported by over 20 Indian organizations. The Indian Council for Cultural
Relations is also sponsoring visiting Professorships at Trinity College Dublin.
Institutions to be visited include Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi,
the Indian Institutes of Technology in Delhi and Chennai, the University of
Madras, the University of Bangalore and the Indian Institute of Science in
Bangalore. A number of scholarships for both undergraduate and postgraduate
students across the Sciences and Humanities will be available to underpin this
development of new educational ties between Ireland and India.