Chancellor G. Viswanathan from Vellore Institute of Technology in India recently visited Vanderbilt University for the first time and met with administrators and faculty in the School of Engineering.
Viswanathan was joined by R. Seenivasan, VIT’s director of international relations, during the July 1 visit that included a campus tour, a lab tour by VUSE Professor Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, and a meeting with VIT alums working at Vanderbilt. They also met with Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver and Vice Provost Tracy Sharpley-Whiting.
“Chancellor Viswanathan’s visit highlights the importance of global collaboration in research and education,” said Provost Raver. “We are optimistic that potential partnerships with VIT could enrich our academic community and drive advancements in engineering and technology.”
Gabriel Luis, VUSE’s director of graduate recruiting and assistant dean for graduate education, hosted the delegation. He visited and recruited on both of VIT’s Vellore and Chennai campuses last year in India.
According to U.S. News and World Report, VIT is ranked #6 in India and #687 globally. Its QS World University Ranking is between 791-800.
Luis said he is excited about Vanderbilt expanding its collaboration with VIT following the visit.
“India is a country with a higher education market of strategic importance to Vanderbilt,” he said. “We are positioning our university to be a leader in global engagement and in taking an active role in strengthening United States-India relations in higher education.”