With 14 member institutions from the province of Ontario, SICI is all set to tap potential of the province in Research Clusters such as Agriculture, Aerospace, Automotive, Biochemical, etc. Mr Chris Warren, Senior Policy Advisor, Ministry of Colleges and Universities, Government of Ontario, met SICI officials on February 23, 2021, to understand, discuss, reach and engage a broader, cross-section of scholars and researchers from India and Ontario in terms of collaboration, decision-making and implementation of academic and research programmes.

On February 23, 2021, Honourable Gene Makowsky, Minister of Advanced Education, Government of Saskatchewan, virtually met with SICI's leadership team to discuss and identify opportunities for cross-sector collaboration between SICI & Saskatchewan's academic institutions & industries. The effort is to involve government, academia, industry and broader society, to bring Saskatchewan and India closer to work on projects and bring Innovative solutions to critical issues, implemented at scale, in a sustainable way.

SICI has a long history of academic research partnership with the member institutions from the Province of Québec which is demonstrated in the building and development of academic careers of numerous scholars, students and faculty who are now ambassadors of social, economic and intellectual change in India and Canada. Particularly for the province of Québec, SICI has worked extensively towards enabling connections between its Indian member institutions and member institutions from Québec. Honourable Nathalie Parenteau, Assistant Deputy Minister of Higher Education-Quebec & Mr. Francis Paradis, Consul & Director, Québec Government office in Mumbai together engaged with SICI officials on February 26, 2021, and shared sucesses of the past initiatives taken as well as future partnership plans to bring Québec and India closer and to bring enrichment to our existing connection & leveraging opportunities for cross-border academic activities.

When it comes to the province of British Columbia, it has a strong international reputation as a high-quality study destination. On March 23, 2021, Dr Prachi Kaul called upon Mr. Jamie Edwardson, Executive Director, Corporate Planning, International, and Quality Assurance, Ministry of Advanced Education, and Skills Training, Government of British Columbia and Mr. Colin Doerr, Director, External Relations, BC Council for International Education (BCCIE) and shared SICI's long journey of promoting and fostering collaborative research between India and Canada, broadly speaking. Mr. Edwardson expressed that it is the intention of the Govt of BC to explore the untapped and known research capacities of Indian institutions and that no other organization but SICI is well-suited to initiate and implement this collaboration. 

In continuation with SICI's outreach to Indian states, Dr Prachi Kaul connected with Sh. Om Prakash Gupta, Principal Secretary, Higher & Technical Education Department, Government of Maharashtra, on February 9, 2021, to reach and engage with higher education institutions and organziations from the state of Maharashtra by giving them full access to SICI's programmes and grants to its scholars and researchers. 

On March 8, 2021, SICI organized a Women's Day special webinar on "Women in Academia & Research – Breaking Glass Ceilings, Lessons Learned & Forging the Path to Change!” Gracing the occasion were Mr. Anshuman Gaur, Deputy High Commissioner of India to Canada, Dr Ananya Mukherjee Reed, Provost and Vice-President Academic, University of British Columbia, Ms. Lissa Matyas, Vice - President of International Partnerships, Mitacs, Dr Sunaina Singh, Vice -Chancellor, Nalanda University, Dr Mini Shaji Thomas, President, SICI, Dr John Kershaw, Vice-President/President Elect, SICI, and Dr Prachi Kaul. The webinar comprised of a live panel discussion to understand diverse perspectives from the distinguished speakers, their aspirations, best practices, success stories, top tips, and opportunities & challenges faced on their career path. The discussion recognized that women's empowerment is critical to the growth of national economies, & society as a whole. And, academia & research have their fair share of contribution in this context.

On the occasion of International Women's Day, Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University hosted Dr Prachi Kaul to deliver the inaugural address in a Workshop on “Leadership and Women” on March 8, 2021. The event saw a great turnout and enthusiasm from 800 plus participants who joined the workshop.

Conferences and Lectures hosted by the member institutions of SICI with support and funding from Golden Jubilee Conference and Lecture Series Grant (GJCLSG) were successfully held throughout the months of February and March 2021. These events were marked with the presence of talented scholars, students, scientists, young and brilliant researchers, faculty, educationists and political leaders representing India and Canada, who made them successful and productive. The events highlighted a wide range of themes covering all disciplines and streams of higher education and research such as:

• Oncology
• New age Technologies in Health
• Waste to Wealth
• River Corridor Research and Management
• E-waste refurbishing
• Barcoding and Metabarcoding
• Artificial Intelligence
• Water Governance and Climate Change 
• Gandhiji as Designer, His Thought and Practice
• Diasporic/ Transnational Experiences
• One health
• Geotechnics
• Electronic Textual Cultures
• sustainable pest and disease management
• the United Nations Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• Rehabilitation Robotics
• Green Energy and Sustainable Environment
• Blue Economy
• Gender Mainstreaming
• Biofuel Production

The esteemed guests, keynote speakers, well-known researchers, students and faculty shared their innovative research and vast experience through their fabulous presentations during these events. Due to space shortage in Engage, we request readers to click here and access event details for reference. Please feel free to contact siciaffairs@sici.org.in should you need further details.

Video Proceedings of the Conference (click on the below titles): 

Light at the End of the Tunnel!

It was a year ago when we launched Engage, and I then wrote “India & Canada, and indeed the entire world, are facing an extraordinary public health crisis and treading through unprecedented, evolving situation in the wake of coronavirus pandemic which is affecting lakhs of people.” Twelve months down the line, we have discovered the vaccine. And, we know that vaccines save lives. So get vaccinated, if eligible. I also quickly want to touch upon the wonderful turn of events in the India-Canada bilateral relations in this regard when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reached out to his Indian counterpart, Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sought the supplies of COVID vaccines for Canada. A true and authentic example of excellent collaboration efforts by both the countries and, as anyone would agree, Vaccine Diplomacy done well!

Our office in India is now partially open with staff taking alternate days to operate from the office premises, however, it’s hard to tell how and when the winds of change will act in the next few days, weeks, and months. The ongoing surge in Covid cases and travel restrictions, as result of it, will threaten the gains made despite a robust vaccine rollout. Keeping fingers crossed for now!

My mindset too switched to spring at the onset of February, a season that brings warmth and blossom and as an effect created and brought opportunities to engage a great deal! In the past two months, we engaged thoroughly with our member institutions, as many academic and research oriented activities were convened in the bi-national corridor between India and Canada, all funded and supported by the Institute. The versatility of these events could be seen from a wide range of areas covered by these events – right from One Health to Sustainable Habitat, from AI in Health, Rehabilitation and Linguistics to Waste to Wealth, and from Gandhian Philosophy to Gandhi as a Designer. Pandemic indeed taught us well the digital methods to create, share and disseminate knowledge and these online events were a testimony to this fact. The super success of these events in this uniquely challenging year is not only commendable but they also provided the best possible learning environment and the best possible experience to students, researchers, faculty and participants from all walks of life under the current circumstances.

This past year social media didn’t cease to amaze me for once. It continued to keep me close to the ground on information about how well our member institutions in India and Canada have done exceptional work despite Covid-19 challenges. There are many success stories which can fill this column to the brim, but I cannot help but recognize and notice people and institutions we feel proud to be associated with. Such as my heartiest congratulations to Dr Benoit-Antoine Bacon, President & Vice-Chancellor, Carleton University, to serve as Honorary President of the Canadian Psychological Association - the national association for the science, practice & education of psychology in Canada and also joining the list of acclaimed Canadians who are presented with the Transformational Leader for Mental Health Award from the Royal Ottawa Foundation. On the other hand, IIT Delhi researchers developed zero-emission technology to manage and recycle e-waste to wealth and University of Saskatchewan doing something similar by utilising federal funds to target reduction of 4,230 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and annual utility savings of about $650,000. University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus launched Canada’s first Indigenous language degree programme! Students now will soon be able to receive an Indigenous language fluency degree as this historical breakthrough opens door for “Learning for All”. Another marvellous work done by IIT Kanpur team who came together to build a world-class ventilator in just 90 days when the COVID pandemic struck India. It doesn’t end here… In a unique step to address stress of deadlines, coursework, and other professional pressures, Union Education Minister Sh. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank inaugurated Ānandam: The Centre for Happiness in IIM Jammu with an aim to help people, in general, students, faculty overcome mental stress and help spread positivity and encourage holistic development – all with a view to also align with one of the core objectives of India’s National Education Policy 2020. These are some of the many innovations we came across, that are well on their way to change the course of academic and research innovation landscape and narrative in India and Canada.

As I shared with you last time how SICI is forging ahead to connect academia, government and industry to benefit one & all, I am happy to share that the Government of India, under the mandate of National Education Policy 2020, is also taking steps to develop linkages between educational institutions, Industries and R&D Institutions. Whether its Impacting Research Innovation & Technology (IMPRINT) that provides solutions to the most relevant engineering challenges and translating knowledge into viable technology in 10 selected technology domains or the establishment of Research parks at IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Chennai. This initiative is to provide an interface between entrepreneurship and Industry to establish their R&D units in collaboration with students & faculty members of the IITs, and Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana (UAY) to promote innovation of a higher order directly impacting the needs of the Industry and envisaging collaboration between academia and industry - within or outside India. On that note, a major expansion in India-Canada bilateral relations is the establishment of Infosys office in Calgary, Canada, that pledges to bring many jobs to the city over the next three years. Isn’t it timely as we see changes happening for good and for the benefit of all?

So the pandemic is here to stay and we will continue to come across some stress as we navigate ourselves through one adjustment after another. However, I am glad to see the progress we have made this past year by emerging adaptable and resilient in the face of the pandemic. I thank you all for your time, attention and tremendous support to our joint goals and successes. Our journey will continue holding hands of 157 institutions across India and Canada for the betterment of humanity. Wishing all of us a safe, healthy and happy remainder to 2021.

Dr Prachi Kaul

Director, SICI

Québec Government office in Mumbai organized an event to launch a publication as an outcome of the conference "L’extrême contemporain Québec" held in February 2020 under the direction of Dr Hélène Amrit & Dr Vijaya Rao on March 18, 2021. The book was launched by Dr Prachi Kaul.

IIT Roorkee and Queen’s University (Canada) has a joint project titled “Design and Development of Cable-Driven Parallel Robot for Automated Construction” for 2018-19 session under SPARC scheme in collaboration with Prof. P.M. Pathak (IIT Roorkee, India), Prof. Leila Notash (Queen’s University, Canada), and Prof. A.K. Samantaray (IIT Kharagpur, India). A short-term course on “Serial & Parallel Robots” was organized from March 22-27, 2021 under this project. The event was jointly organized by IIT Roorkee, Queen’s University, and IIT Kharagpur.