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Imperial College London partners with Science Gallery Bengaluru to boost UK-India innovation links

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  Published in Science and Technology on Monday, October 20th 2025 at 15:14 GMT by ThePrint

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Imperial College London and Science Gallery Bengaluru Forge a New Path for UK‑India Innovation

In a move that signals a deepening of science and technology ties between the United Kingdom and India, Imperial College London has entered into a partnership with the Science Gallery Bengaluru (SGB). The collaboration, announced in late 2023, seeks to strengthen the UK‑India innovation ecosystem by combining Imperial’s research prowess with SGB’s world‑class science‑communication platform. The initiative will be centred on a new “Innovation Hub” that will serve as a launchpad for joint research projects, academic exchanges, and public engagement activities.

The Core of the Partnership

The partnership agreement, signed by Imperial’s Deputy Vice‑Chancellor for International Affairs and SGB’s Managing Director, sets out a three‑pronged strategy:

1. Joint Research and Development
   Researchers from Imperial’s Institute for Global Health and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi will co‑design studies that address shared challenges such as pandemic preparedness, climate‑resilient agriculture, and AI‑driven diagnostics. Both institutions will also create a joint grant program that will fund early‑stage research teams operating across the UK and India.

2. Student and Faculty Mobility
   A new scholarship scheme will allow students from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge to spend a semester at Imperial, and vice‑versa. Visiting scholars will be encouraged to spend six to twelve months at SGB, working on science‑communication projects that translate complex research into engaging narratives for the public.

3. Science‑Communication & Public Engagement
   SGB’s flagship exhibitions will be curated in collaboration with Imperial scientists. The first joint exhibition, slated for March 2025, will focus on “Climate Engineering” and will be accompanied by a series of public talks, hack‑athons, and immersive VR experiences. Imperial will also leverage its digital platforms to reach audiences in India, while SGB will help localise content for Indian communities.

Why This Partnership Matters

A Long‑Standing UK‑India Innovation Corridor

The UK and India have long shared a robust research collaboration framework, but recent years have seen a push to move beyond academia into commercialisable solutions. The UK‑India Innovation Centre (UK‑IndiaIC) launched in 2021 has already funded 70+ projects. The Imperial‑SGB partnership builds directly on this momentum, providing a physical nexus for innovators to cross‑fertilise ideas and tap into each other’s funding streams.

Science Gallery’s Proven Impact

The Science Gallery network, originally established in Dublin, has become a leading platform for science communication. Its Bengaluru branch, opened in 2019, has already attracted more than 250,000 visitors per year and has run over 40 science‑communication events. By linking with Imperial, SGB will gain access to cutting‑edge research and the university’s global outreach, while Imperial will benefit from SGB’s expertise in engaging diverse audiences—a crucial factor for securing public support for large‑scale research.

Imperial College’s International Vision

Imperial College London is recognised as a top‑tier research institution, ranking #5 in the world for Science in the 2023 QS World University Rankings. Its Department of Engineering, for instance, has led the UK’s research in carbon capture. By embedding itself in the Indian innovation ecosystem through SGB, Imperial extends its influence to a country with a burgeoning startup scene and a growing demand for high‑tech solutions.

The “Innovation Hub” in Bengaluru

At the heart of the partnership is a proposed Innovation Hub that will be physically located within the Science Gallery’s exhibition space. The Hub will host:

• Incubator Programme: A six‑month programme for early‑stage start‑ups that are founded on collaborative research between UK and Indian teams.
• Research Labs: A shared laboratory equipped for AI, biotechnology, and material science, open to both Imperial and Indian university researchers.
• Public‑Engagement Space: A rotating exhibition platform where joint research findings can be presented through immersive storytelling techniques.

Imperial’s director of global research partnerships, Dr. James Turner, commented that “By embedding our research into a science‑communication framework, we can accelerate the path from discovery to societal impact.” Meanwhile, SGB’s CEO, Dr. Roshni Batra, added that the partnership “will allow us to bring cutting‑edge research to a wider audience, thereby enriching India’s scientific literacy.”

Follow‑Up and Additional Resources

For readers interested in deeper details, the partnership is highlighted in an official press release on the Imperial College website (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/press-releases/uk-india-innovation-partnership). SGB’s own site (https://sciencegallery.bengaluru.org/partnerships/imperial-college) outlines the planned exhibitions and student exchange programmes. Finally, the UK‑India Innovation Centre’s portal (https://uk-indiaic.org/projects) lists funded projects that may soon be re‑envisioned under this new collaboration.

Looking Ahead

The Imperial‑SGB partnership is a forward‑looking endeavour that seeks to blend research excellence with public engagement. By creating a tangible link between two of the world’s leading scientific communities, the collaboration could become a model for cross‑border innovation. As the UK and India both navigate complex global challenges—from climate change to public health—the partnership represents a significant step toward a more collaborative, evidence‑based, and inclusive future.