Cornell University signs Agreement with O.P. Jindal Global University to Build Global Hub in India

Cornell University and O.P. Jindal Global University have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), which will enable both the universities to build substantive partnerships and collaborations across all of its schools and programmes. JGU has been working with Cornell as one of the centres for Cornell Global Hubs in India based on its valuable and long-standing partnership with Cornell in the field of Law, which is now expanding to other areas of mutual expertise and interest.

In 2022, Cornell University launched Cornell Global Hubs. Based in strategic locations worldwide, Global Hubs connect all of Cornell with strong international peer institutions and their communities, countries, and regions. Hubs are broad-reaching partnerships that combine research, learning, and engagement and bring together faculty, students, alumni, businesses, and the public and private sector. Hubs partnerships are based on reciprocity. Faculty and students across the Global Hubs join a vibrant network of transnational research and educational opportunities, partnering with Cornell and other Hubs locations.

Cornell Global Hubs connect the entire university with strong international peer institutions and their communities, countries, and regions. No two Hubs are identical, but all share Cornell’s academic distinction, educational verve, and civic responsibility—under the umbrella of One Cornell. Global Hubs create more diverse, long-term opportunities and support for students and faculty to study, research, teach, and engage around the world by providing institutional connections in key locations. Hubs coordinate Cornell’s presence in these places, bringing students and faculty together with partners, prospective students, and alumni. Each Global Hub is unique, but all are grounded in partnerships with strong local universities and based on the principle of mutual benefit and exchange. Cornell is working with Hubs partners to develop hands-on projects that promote study and expand the range of academic experiences at home and abroad.

On the occasion of this historical signing of the agreement between Cornell and JGU, Professor Dr. C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University, highlighted that, “JGU and Cornell have been working closely through its existing meaningful cooperation in the field of Law for over a decade benefitting students and faculty members through unique and valuable international programmes and intellectual engagements including dual degree programmes, student exchanges, joint research, joint seminars and conferences. The new reimagined and expanded collaboration at the University-level between Cornell and JGU has immense potential to provide an outstanding platform for students and faculty members of both institutions across all domains of mutual expertise to have a holistic experience of intercultural learning guided by the best global practices of higher education and research. This will enable the faculty members and students of both the universities to engage and interact with each other through various institutional partnerships.” 

“Hubs build the kind of strong, long-term international relationships that create understanding and meaningful change,” said Professor (Dr.) Wendy Wolford, Vice provost for International Affairs and Robert A. and Ruth E. Polson Professor of Global Development, Cornell University, “and we’re excited to have O. P. Jindal Global University as a Global Hubs partner.”

An associate professor in the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Professor (Dr.) Sarah Besky is a cultural anthropologist specializing in labor and capitalism in the Himalayas. As faculty lead for Cornell’s India Global Hub, she looks forward to developing the Cornell-JGU partnership.

“Cornell's partnership with JGU opens up new pathways for student mobility including coursework, internships, and research opportunities in the greater Delhi region. This partnership, and the work of Cornell Global Hubs, will further the institution's efforts towards promoting greater inclusion and internationalization. We look forward to welcoming JGU students to Cornell's campus very soon,” said Dr. Besky.

On the signing of the agreement with a leading ivy league university, Professor (Dr.) Mohan Kumar, Dean, Office of International Affairs & Global Initiatives, O.P. Jindal Global University observed that, “We are truly excited at the possibilities of cooperation with Cornell University which will open up following this University wide collaboration with JGU. The concept of Global Hubs is a novel one and JGU will play its full part in realizing the immense potential offered by Cornell University to our students and faculty members in this regard.”

Reflecting on the importance of this agreement for the development of Indian higher education while expending its global presence, Professor (Dr). C. Raj Kumar observed, "Cornell University, founded in 1865, is a world-class research university. JGU, founded in 2009 is India's global university and an 'Institution of Eminence'. Cornell and JGU have agreed to cooperate through a specific agreement and to work closely to develop an enhanced understanding of each other's capabilities and requirements and to collectively work towards identifying opportunities for collaboration that addresses pressing issues in India and the United States and across the globe that strengthen academic exchange and research collaborations across the breadth of disciplines at both the Institutions. The two Universities aims to further develop their valuable partnership that fosters the development of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes with close engagements between faculty members at both the Universities ultimately enhancing the multi-lateral and cross-institutional cooperation."

Through these new initiatives, Cornell and JGU also aim to jointly organize conferences and workshops that promote sharing ideas among scholars, policy makers, and business leaders of India and USA. Further, the two institutions have also established mutual intent to explore opportunities to establish joint innovation and activities to promote collaboration and innovation between India and the United States.

Both Universities have developed an incredible synergy through meaningful engagements over the years which has resulted in tremendous potential for collaborative endeavours for students and faculty members of both sides. As a result, JGU and Cornell are now entering into a University-wide collaboration which would allow international exchanges, academic and scientific relationships, and support collaborative research activities across important domains of higher education and research at both institutions. The University wide partnership between Cornell and JGU shall provide opportunities for potential collaborations for all Schools and Research Centers at both the Universities.

JGU’s faculty members have also been actively participating in Cornell’s Global Hubs Salon Series featuring Cornell faculty hosts in conversation with representatives of Global Hub institutions under the following thematic rubrics:

• Big Data, AI, and New Media
• Democratic Challenges and Change
• Future Cities
• Inequalities and Social Justice
• Migration and Mobilities
• One Health
• Sustainable Development

Cornell University, an ivy league institution, is known for its outstanding reputation and excellence in quality higher education and research across domains. Cornell is not only one of the world’s leading higher education institutions but also has a revered standing across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence in higher education and research. As of September 2021, 61 Nobel laureates, four Turing Award winners and one Fields Medalist have been affiliated with Cornell. Cornell counts more than 250,000 alumni, and its former and present faculty and alumni include 34 Marshall Scholars, 33 Rhodes Scholars, 29 Truman Scholars, 7 Gates Scholars, 63 Olympic Medalists, 10 current Fortune 500 CEOs, and 35 billionaire alumni.

O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), an Institution of Eminence (IoE) has endeavoured to provide wide-ranging world class opportunities for its students and faculty members in terms of exchange with partner Universities; joint teaching opportunities for faculty members; collaborative research activities with joint projects and publications, joint seminars, conferences and workshops. Internationalization has been the cornerstone of JGU's core vision, right from its inception. JGU has been ranked India’s First ranked private university third time in a row by the QS World Universities Rankings and the Jindal Global Law School is ranked Number 1 in India and 70th in the world. JGU’s 12 schools have more than 10,000 students studying in various UG, PG, Masters’ and doctoral programmes. JGU has more than 1,000 full time faculty members from 46 countries.