India
University Partners in India
Ashoka University
Ashoka University is a private, nonprofit liberal arts and sciences university established in 2014, offering undergraduate and graduate programs in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Located in Sonipat, Haryana, the university emphasizes multidisciplinary education, scholarship, and research, attracting students and faculty from around the world.
Indian Institute of Science
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), founded in 1909, is a public research university for science and engineering. An Institute of Eminence, it emphasizes interdisciplinary research, innovation, and global collaboration. Its Bengaluru campus offers engineering, natural sciences, and technology programs that bring together world-class faculty and students.
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), established in 1959, is a public technical university known for excellence in engineering, science, and technology. Its campus in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, is home to 16 departments and numerous research centers. IITM fosters global partnerships through initiatives like the Gopalakrishnan-Deshpande Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Cornell and India
For more than a century, students, faculty, and alumni have connected Cornell and India through education, research, and public engagement. Today, three Global Hubs partners, longstanding field and language programs, and a network of more than 1,600 alumni support those connections.
Research Highlight
HEaTR for a Warming World
The Global Center for Household Energy and Thermal Resilience (HEaTR) brings Cornell together with Ashoka University and Global Hubs partners in Ghana, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. The project examines how households respond to climate extremes and seeks practical, place-based approaches to thermal resilience. The collaboration grew from a Global Hubs seed grant and later received a $250K design grant from the National Science Foundation.
Student Experiences
Cornell students and students from partner universities engage with India through research, internships, field learning, language study, and academic exchange.
Connecting Classroom Knowledge with Global Research
Haruna Floate '26 (CALS) pent summer 2024 conducting research in Ashoka University’s Integrative Genetics and Evolution Laboratory. Her work on diet, behavior, and aging in fruit flies connected her nutritional sciences studies with laboratory research and cultural learning in India. Read about Floate's experience.
“As a nutritional science major, I loved being able to connect my classroom knowledge to laboratory research, all while immersing myself in the rich and vibrant culture of India. My summer at Ashoka helped me to strengthen my sense of cultural awareness, intercultural communication, and empathy. I will carry these takeaways with me as I pursue my professional goal of serving as a multilingual healthcare provider.”
Hands-On Learning in Sustainable Development
Nilgiris Field Learning Program (NFLP) connects Cornell faculty and students with Keystone Foundation practitioners and communities in southern India. Through field-based learning, participants explore interconnected questions involving sustainability, conservation, livelihoods, education, health, and well-being.
Gaining Global Research Skills
As a Cornell graduate student Phoebe Wagner, spent a year studying Hindi and conducting qualitative research in North India with support from the Einaudi Center. Based at Navdanya Biodiversity Farm in Dehradun, she examined sacred sites to explore how cultural connections to landscapes support biocultural diversity. This experience strengthened her research skills and shaped her career in public opinion analysis.
“Studying Hindi with Professor Sujata Singh and connecting with students in the South Asia Program were highlights of the fellowship during my time on campus. Over the summer, researching in India deepened my understanding of cultural and ecological resilience. The FLAS fellowship enabled me to pursue my graduate degree and contributed to my career path.”
Two-Way Exchange with Ashoka University
Shwetha Prakash, a physics major from Ashoka, spent a summer at Cornell as part of our Hubs partnership.
“My research internship in accelerator physics at Cornell University has been an extraordinary journey. I had the privilege to learn from and collaborate with world-class scientists, engage in hands-on experiments, and learn a lot about what it means to be a researcher and a scientist. It has fueled my passion for scientific exploration as an undergraduate.”
Faculty Forward
Cornell Leadership Connects with India Partners and Alumni
A Cornell delegation led by Vice Provost for International Affairs Wendy Wolford visited India in 2024 to meet with university leaders, researchers, alumni, and public-sector representatives. The delegation explored collaboration in areas including public health, engineering, sustainability, and technology. Read more about the visit.
Cornell Faculty Lead
Aditya Vashistha
Assistant Professor, Information Science, Cornell Bowers CIS
Vashistha leads Cornell's Global AI Initative
"India is a world power and an emerging economy with rich cultural diversity. My work focuses on technology and social impact. Our partnerships are essential to identify the right problems to work on and pool and share the resources and knowledge."
Alumni Tribute: Remembering Ratan Tata
The late Ratan N. Tata ’59, B.Arch. ’62, was an influential business leader, philanthropist, and former Cornell trustee. His support deepened Cornell’s ties with India through scholarships, research addressing rural poverty and malnutrition, and investments in technology and innovation.
A new study shows that when Indians and Americans used an AI writing assistant, their writing became more similar, mainly at the expense of Indian writing styles. Senior author on the paper Aditya Vashistha is funded by our Global Grand Challenge: The Future.
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Global Cornell welcomed almost 100 representatives from 18 international Global Hubs partner institutions to London for the second network meeting, co-hosted by King's College London. Participants came together to exchange ideas and pave the way for collaborations and engagement to build a better world.
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Global Cornell leadership visited India in April, where they met with alumni and institutional partners.
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Global Cornell has awarded five International Cornell Curriculum (ICC) grants totaling $114,000 to support faculty developing courses that feature international experiences for students.