The state higher education department has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of Salford, Manchester, UK, for research and development, student and faculty exchange programme.

The MOU was signed in an event organised in Bengaluru on Wednesday in the presence of Higher Education and Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, Andy Burnham Mayor of Greater Manchester and other officials from both the governments.

Ashwath Narayan said, “Now, the vice-chancellors of our state universities, private and Deemed to be Universities have to sign separate agreements at their level according to their needs.”

“The research and development, which is happening at the industry level, is not happening at the institution level. The main agenda of signing the MOU is to focus on more research and development at the institution level. The research and development works need to come from laboratories to field,” he said.

The MOU mainly concentrates on the development of joint research collaborations, entrepreneur and entrepreneurial activities, staff exchange programme and opportunities, development of student exchange programme and opportunities, staff and faculty development, including train the trainer and development for split-site PhDs, promotion of Salford University abroad programme and joint curricula development.

The main focus areas will be SMART and Future cities, Health and Wellbeing, Bio-and Biosciences, Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics, Artificial intelligence, Big Data analytics, Town underground planning, Waste management, Energy and Environment and Life Sciences.