On February 4, 2019, Dr. Shyam Diwakar, from the Centre for Computational Neuroscience and Neurophysiology, School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, met with the University of Milan La Statale’s Rector, Prof. Elio Franzini and had a discussion on augmenting joint possibilities with both Universities. Vice Rector of Internationalisation, Prof. Antonella Baldi also met with Prof. Diwakar and discussed on joint programs and exchange of students. Prof. Maria Pia Abbracchio, Deputy Rector and Vice Rector for Research and Prof. Goffredo Haus, Vice-Rector of Innovation also met with Prof. Diwakar and discussed various engagements that could enhance UNIMI’s role through the existing MoU. Prof. Diwakar is also a faculty fellow at Amrita Center for International Programs, that promotes international activities and outreach at Amrita. Universita degli Studi di Milano (UNIMI) and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham had signed an cooperation agreement for student and research exchange in November 2018.

Milan’s vice-rector Prof. Baldi says “Together as two universities, we will explore scientific and technological solutions for diverse societies while unifying the commonness with an understanding — all that while we work for a new generation of students for the future of our world.” Deputy Rector Prof. Abbracchio who emphasizes on cross fertilization among all branches of sciences and humanities as key to future adds “Successful futures are led by novel policies of joint actions across diverse strengths”.

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has several ongoing working collaborations with UNIMI collaborators and two of Amrita professors are UNIMI alumni. Besides having a PhD from Department of Mathematics in UNIMI, Prof. Shyam Diwakar of Amrita School of Biotechnology had also been the Indian PI of an Indo-Italy program of cooperation 2012-15 on a robotics project with Prof. Giovanni Naldi at UNIMI. Prof. Antonella Delle Fave, Full professor of General Psychology, had facilitated the meeting, is currently leading an Indo-Italy program of cooperation project on neurological diseases with Prof. (Dr.) Ram Manohar, Research Director, School of Ayurveda, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in addition to Center for Integrative Medicine, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi. Dr. Prasanna Ramani from Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore campus is a PhD from UNIMI and is currently collaborating on organic and phytochemsitry with Prof. Luisella Verotta of Department of Environmental Science and Policy at Milano.

UNIMI and Amrita have since been active in collaborative research since 2004 and have had Indo-Italy programs connecting professors and research groups.