UNSW Sydney President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs and the Director of the Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE), Shri Sanjeev Kumar, have signed an agreement at a virtual ceremony to establish the Centre for Advanced Transportation Technology and Systems (CATTS).
The ceremony was attended by Hon. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon. Minister of State for Road, Transport, Highways and Civil Aviation Shri V. K. Singh and other dignitaries from the Government of India.
This agreement is for a project for capacity building, technology transfer and the creation of an environment to establish a centre of excellence.
Prof. Jacobs said:
“I hope, this only marks the beginning of a long and rewarding collaborative relationship between our two institutions – an extension of the long and enduring friendship between India and Australia.”
The scope of this project involves research and development for a national economic and a local transport model to help inform decision-making to reduce congestion and investment to improve accessibility.
The project also involves a substantial educational element to train future engineers in India employed by the government.
Professor Vinayak Dixit at UNSW Engineering will lead the UNSW project team. He has in the past worked closely with the Government of India.
Prof. Dixit says:
“The Centre will be a collaboration between industry, international and Indian academics and the Government of India to help fast track new technologies, new models and new simulations into the field, to facilitate field trials.”
Shri Nitin Gadkari acknowledged Prof. Dixit’s leadership on the project and highlighted the need to swiftly deliver on the project towards India’s aspirations.
