Next-generation global researchers graduate from IITB-Monash Research Academy
Thirty-nine PhD students celebrated the completion of their studies at IITB-Monash Research Academy’s graduation ceremony in Mumbai this week, marking another proud milestone for India’s pioneering joint doctoral initiative.
Monash University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) Professor Craig Jeffrey, Deputy Chancellor Geraldine Putra-Johns and Faculty of Engineering Dean Professor Yiannis Ventikos, with IITB-Monash Research Academy CEO Mr M.S. Unnikrishnan, IIT Bombay Director Professor Shireesh Kedare and the recent graduates at the convocation ceremony in Mumbai.
The graduating researchers spanned a wide spectrum of disciplines across engineering, the arts, design, and science. Their doctoral work addressed some of the Indo-Pacific region’s most pressing shared challenges – from developing next-generation clean energy tech, to advancing public health diagnostics, artificial intelligence, and structural materials science and more. The findings advance knowledge on a range of problems with real-world applications.
The ceremony underscored the growing scale of the IITB-Monash Research Academy, home to India’s oldest and largest joint PhD program with 185 active doctoral candidates.
The partnership recently expanded its footprint by joining forces with IIT Bombay’s Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), ensuring that high-impact doctoral discoveries move rapidly from the laboratory into startups and industry applications.
The IITB-Monash Research Academy plays an important role in Monash University’s international campus network, with campuses or joint schools across Australia, China, Indonesia, Italy and Malaysia.
Professor Craig Jeffrey, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) and Senior Vice-President at Monash University says that India is central to Monash’s vision in the region.
"The IITB-Monash Research Academy is the cornerstone of our India engagement, uniting top academic talent across borders to deliver tangible solutions to global problems,” Professor Jeffrey said.
“Our place-based approach means our educational and research offerings are purposefully aligned with India’s national ambitions, and I’m proud that these graduates will contribute to fulfilling those."
For Professor Shireesh Kedare, Director of IIT Bombay, the partnership advances the Institute’s ambitions around forging international research pathways that help solve complex, multi-disciplinary global problems.
"This collaboration exemplifies IIT Bombay’s commitment to translating frontier research into real-world impact alongside top global partners, equipping our graduates to lead innovation worldwide," he said. “My congratulations to these latest graduates on the culmination of your hard work.”
Distinguished leaders attending the ceremony in Mumbai included Monash University Deputy Chancellor Geraldine Putra-Johns, and Professor Yiannis Ventikos, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.
Ranked 31st in the prestigious QS World University Rankings 2027 – its strongest performance to date after accelerating 29 places over the preceding decade – Monash continues to build deep academic, corporate, and community networks across the subcontinent.
The University welcomed over 4300 Indian students in 2025, while fostering reciprocal global understanding through its own student cohort; more than 1250 Monash students have traveled to India under the University’s flagship Global Immersion Guarantee since 2022.
Supported by a 2600-strong alumni network living and working in India, the University’s footprint extends from classrooms to corporate boardrooms.
Between 2020-2026 Monash’s scholars contributed to more than 2600 co-publications with colleagues across 470 Indian institutions. These research efforts are translated directly into industry and community outcomes through dedicated platforms like the Australia-India Critical Minerals Research Hub, and industry partnerships alongside giants like Tata Steel and BharatGen.