Prof. John P. Wilson, Ph.D., a Professor of Spatial Sciences and Sociology in the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences at the University of Southern California, along with Mr. Shishir Kumar Upadhyaya, Director of USC India, visited the Office for International Affairs at UoH. The meeting was attended by faculty members including Prof. Atul Negi, Dean School of Computer and Information Sciences (online), Prof. Salman Abdul Moiz, Dr. Kishore Kumar from Center for Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences and Prof. Arvind S. Susarla, Associate Director of OIA.
The meeting focused on potential collaboration between USC and UoH, emphasizing the similarities in their academic structures, including four-year undergraduate degrees, two-year master’s programs, and doctoral opportunities, with aligned semester schedules. USC’s Spatial Science Initiative was highlighted for its transdisciplinary approach, offering diverse programs and global experiential training opportunities for students. UoH showcased its pioneering work in AI, cryptography, and other technology-driven fields, with a strong focus on cross-disciplinary research and internships under India’s NEP 2020. Both universities also discussed the importance of international collaborations, funding sources, and the ease of obtaining student visas for exchange programs.
The conversation shifted towards the modalities of actualizing the partnership, with suggestions for faculty and student exchanges, joint courses, and creative uses of modern tools such as MOODLE and GIAN-style summer courses. Both institutions acknowledged challenges such as the cost of accommodation for Indian students at USC, but agreed on the importance of initiating activities before formalizing the relationship with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). They proposed starting collaborations through faculty exchanges, online lectures, and asynchronous interactions, while continuing the process of negotiating the MoU.