Hyderabad: Telangana has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with RMIT University in Australia to strengthen international cooperation in life sciences. The partnership marks a major step in the state’s global innovation strategy.
Joint programmes to drive research and training
The agreement, signed in Melbourne, will support joint research, academic exchanges, and industry-driven Ph.D. programmes. RMIT University and BITS Hyderabad will jointly guide research scholars under this initiative.
Minister for IT and Industries Duddilla Sridhar Babu, who witnessed the signing, said the pact reflects Telangana’s goal to become a global innovation hub. “This LoI is a roadmap for Genome Valley’s next growth phase and Telangana’s expanding leadership in life sciences,” he stated.
Telangana expands life sciences footprint
According to Sridhar Babu, more than 2,000 pharma and biotech firms, valued at a combined USD 80 billion, currently operate in Telangana. The state contributes 40% of India’s pharmaceutical production and supplies one-third of the world’s vaccines.
To build on this momentum, the minister announced a Telangana Life Sciences School. The school will focus on advanced learning and industry-relevant training.
“Global majors like Eli Lilly are showing strong interest in collaborating with Telangana,” he added.
Industry-aligned curriculum in the pipeline
The LoI includes plans to design a joint curriculum that meets international industry needs. This aims to create a globally skilled, future-ready workforce. Dr. Shakti Nagappan, CEO of Telangana Life Sciences Foundation, and Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of RMIT University, signed the agreement.
Professor Itsiopoulos said, “We are excited to collaborate with Telangana. This partnership will drive global innovation in life sciences.”