Liverpool and SIMATS Forge Five-Year Strategic Partnership in Health and Life Sciences

Liverpool and SIMATS Forge Five-Year Strategic Partnership in Health and Life Sciences

(IN BRIEF) The University of Liverpool and SIMATS have signed a five-year MoU to advance collaborative health and life-science activities. This partnership encompasses joint research projects, exchange programs for undergraduates and postgraduates, co-organized academic events, and visiting-student placements, all aimed at fostering interdisciplinary and cross-cultural learning. Key figures at the signing—Professor Shakila Thangaratinam and Acting Deputy High Commissioner Ben Pugsley—highlighted the agreement’s role in strengthening UK-India academic ties. This new alliance follows Liverpool’s recent MoU with Garden City University and the announcement of its Bengaluru campus, underscoring the university’s deepening engagement with India.

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 15-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The University of Liverpool and the Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS) have formalized a five-year strategic alliance in health and life sciences by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This agreement lays out a comprehensive framework for collaboration, spanning joint research endeavors, student exchange schemes, co-hosted academic events, and visiting student placements—all designed to cultivate an inclusive, international, and interdisciplinary educational ecosystem.

Renowned for their excellence in research and pedagogy, both universities will immediately embark on several transformative initiatives:

• Collaborative Research Projects: Teams from Liverpool and SIMATS will tackle urgent global health and scientific issues together.
• Undergraduate and Postgraduate Exchanges: Students will immerse themselves in cross-cultural academic settings, enriching their studies and global perspectives.
• Shared Academic Events: Jointly organized conferences, seminars, and expert panels will foster scholarly dialogue and innovation.
• Visiting Student Opportunities: International learners will benefit from short-term placements, broadening their educational experiences.

Professor Shakila Thangaratinam of Liverpool—present at the signing—emphasized the university’s commitment to Indian partnerships: “This MoU underscores our ambition to deepen ties with Indian higher-education institutions. We eagerly await the first cohort of Saveetha medical students at our Summer School and look forward to expanding collaborations across many disciplines.”

Ben Pugsley, First Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs and Acting Deputy British High Commissioner to Chennai, celebrated the union as a strengthening of the UK-India “Living Bridge,” remarking, “Today we unite two world-class institutions in shared purpose, laying the groundwork for groundbreaking medical-science innovations.”

Looking ahead, both universities plan to broaden this alliance with fresh initiatives and closer institutional engagement, reinforcing their joint vision for the future of global higher education through pooled expertise, cultural exchange, and academic partnership.

Moreover, Liverpool recently entered a similar MoU with Garden City University in Bengaluru, extending staff and student exchanges in health and life sciences. In May, the University also announced a new campus in Bengaluru—marking a significant expansion of its long-term commitment to India’s vibrant academic landscape.

Media Contacts:

Joanne Carr
Deputy Director of Communications and Public Affairs
T: +44 (0)7825 434900
E: jocarr@liverpool.ac.uk

Catrin Owen
Media Relations Manager – Humanities and Social Sciences
T: +44 (0)7721 834238
E: catrin.owen@liverpool.ac.uk

Sarah Stamper
Media Relations Manager – Science and Engineering
T: +44 (0)7970 247396
E: sarah.stamper@liverpool.ac.uk

Jennifer Morgan
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0)7775 547589
E: J.L.Morgan@liverpool.ac.uk

Alison Cornmell
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0) 7771 700680
E: Alison.Cornmell@liverpool.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Liverpool