NEW DELHI: Imperial College London is setting up its fourth international hub in Bengaluru, marking another step in its global strategy focused on research and innovation. The move, which follows successful hubs in Singapore, San Francisco, and Accra, signals the British university’s intent to deepen collaborations with Indian academia and industry, particularly in science, technology, and health innovation.
“Imperial is different,” said Professor Hugh Brady, president of Imperial College London, in an interview during his visit to India. “We’re not focused on undergraduate campuses abroad. Our greatest impact is in applying science and technology for the good of humanity and the planet — and that’s where we believe we can contribute most meaningfully in India.”
The new hub, based in Bengaluru, was selected due to the high density of Imperial’s existing partnerships in the city, including long-standing collaborations with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS). “We already have £170 million in joint research funding with Indian institutions and over 2,000 co-authored publications,” said Brady. “But we wanted to take it to another level.”
Rather than serve as a teaching campus, the Bengaluru hub will act as a facilitator — “a matchmaker,” as Brady put it — coordinating large-scale research partnerships, seed funding initiatives, and collaborative PhD programmes. These programmes will focus on emerging fields such as AI for healthcare , advanced materials, quantum sensing, and decarbonisation technologies.
For instance, Imperial recently launched a multi-institutional project with Tata Steel focused on decarbonising the steel industry. Brady also highlighted the college’s growing influence in AI for healthcare and quantum technologies , noting, “We are one of the UK’s largest players in AI for health—from early diagnosis to drug discovery.”
India's growing research ecosystem was a key factor in Imperial’s decision. “The landscape here is changing rapidly. We see top researchers staying in India and global academics moving back,” said Brady. “The quality of publications and the energy of young scientists is tremendous. It’s the right time to deepen our presence.”
While several international universities are entering India with a focus on undergraduate programmes, Brady emphasised that Imperial is charting a distinct path. “We’re not opening a traditional campus here because our model isn’t about volume — it’s about high-impact partnerships in research and innovation.”
As global challenges like climate change and pandemics demand urgent scientific collaboration, Brady believes the new hub will “turbocharge” Imperial’s ability to act as a force for good. “Science must transcend borders,” he said. “This hub is not just about Imperial being in India—it’s about building something transformative, together.”
“Imperial is different,” said Professor Hugh Brady, president of Imperial College London, in an interview during his visit to India. “We’re not focused on undergraduate campuses abroad. Our greatest impact is in applying science and technology for the good of humanity and the planet — and that’s where we believe we can contribute most meaningfully in India.”
The new hub, based in Bengaluru, was selected due to the high density of Imperial’s existing partnerships in the city, including long-standing collaborations with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS). “We already have £170 million in joint research funding with Indian institutions and over 2,000 co-authored publications,” said Brady. “But we wanted to take it to another level.”
Rather than serve as a teaching campus, the Bengaluru hub will act as a facilitator — “a matchmaker,” as Brady put it — coordinating large-scale research partnerships, seed funding initiatives, and collaborative PhD programmes. These programmes will focus on emerging fields such as AI for healthcare , advanced materials, quantum sensing, and decarbonisation technologies.
For instance, Imperial recently launched a multi-institutional project with Tata Steel focused on decarbonising the steel industry. Brady also highlighted the college’s growing influence in AI for healthcare and quantum technologies , noting, “We are one of the UK’s largest players in AI for health—from early diagnosis to drug discovery.”
India's growing research ecosystem was a key factor in Imperial’s decision. “The landscape here is changing rapidly. We see top researchers staying in India and global academics moving back,” said Brady. “The quality of publications and the energy of young scientists is tremendous. It’s the right time to deepen our presence.”
While several international universities are entering India with a focus on undergraduate programmes, Brady emphasised that Imperial is charting a distinct path. “We’re not opening a traditional campus here because our model isn’t about volume — it’s about high-impact partnerships in research and innovation.”
As global challenges like climate change and pandemics demand urgent scientific collaboration, Brady believes the new hub will “turbocharge” Imperial’s ability to act as a force for good. “Science must transcend borders,” he said. “This hub is not just about Imperial being in India—it’s about building something transformative, together.”
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