University of Cambridge Announces New Boost to Its Historic…

Sarah J · 2026-01-30T16:58:56.000Z

The University of Cambridge has unveiled a series of major initiatives strengthening its long-standing academic and research relationship with India, marking a renewed phase of cooperation between one of the world’s oldest universities and one of its fastest-growing knowledge economies. The announcements were made during a high-level visit to Delhi by Cambridge’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice, and a senior university delegation. At the centre of the new engagement is the Cambridge-India Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS) - a multi-disciplinary research hub designed to deepen collaboration on innovation, academic research, and learning between Cambridge and Indian partners. The centre will act as a strategic platform for joint research programmes, policy dialogue and intellectual exchange, connecting global expertise with India’s rapidly growing research ecosystem. In a significant move to broaden academic pathways, Cambridge also announced plans to accept CBSE Class 12 qualifications for entry into select undergraduate programmes, alongside existing criteria, helping talented Indian students gain improved access to one of the world’s leading universities. This decision is expected to pave the way for more diverse student participation and reflects Cambridge’s commitment to expanding educational mobility between the UK and India. To support these initiatives, Cambridge established the Cambridge India Research Foundation, a philanthropic vehicle that will help mobilise resources for scholarships, bursaries and collaborative research, expanding opportunities for Indian scholars and fostering sustainable academic partnerships . Cambridge’s Vice-Chancellor highlighted the historic ties between the university and India, which span over 150 years and include celebrated Indian alumni such as Jagadish Chandra Bose, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Venki Ramakrishnan, Amartya Sen, and political leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru. These ties underpin the new initiatives and serve as a foundation for expanded cooperation in fields ranging from science and technology to social development and policy research. In addition to academic measures, cultural and community engagement will be part of the expanded relationship. Cambridge’s cricket teams are scheduled to tour India in 2026 in what will be their first visits in over a decade, reflecting the university’s intention to nurture people-to-people connections as part of its broader engagement strategy.

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University of Cambridge Announces New Boost to Its Historic… | SEINET