Southern and Central Asia

Australia Awards Scholar, Joytu Khisha, has received a research scholarship through the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML).

Jotyu is a Master of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning student at the University of Adelaide from Bangladesh under the Australia Awards Scholarship Program. As part of his research at the University, Joytu received the AIML research scholarship for his project, “Enabling Robotic Mimicry of Human Arm and Hand Movements”.

AIML conducts globally competitive research and development in machine learning, artificial intelligence, computer vision and deep learning. With more than 140 researchers, AIML is the largest university-based research group in machine learning in Australia and one of the best in the world.

Joytu’s research project is developing technology that enables robots to mimic human movements in real-time. This has wide-reaching applications, from performing remote surgeries to operating robots in hard-to-reach areas.

"With fast advancements in AI, the dream of humanoid robots is becoming a reality,” said Joytu.

The University of Adelaide and Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) have continued to expand their partnership with a number of new engagements. This includes finalising an articulation agreement across a range of undergraduate engineering degrees, which will allow students to spend time in both India and Adelaide prior to their graduation.

The two universities were also part of a successful Australia Awards Fellowship submission for 2024 in collaboration with several other partner institutions. The successful submission - 'Academic Skills Development in a Digital World: A Capacity Development Program for Tertiary Educators, insights from the University of Adelaide's 2023-2018 Education in a Digital World strategy’ – was led by Dr Nam Nghiep Tran, Associate Dean of Internationalisation, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology, University of Adelaide. 

The University of Adelaide and North South University (NSU) have a dual degree award agreement where students complete one year of NSU’s Master in Development Studies program and another year at the University’s Adelaide’s Master of Public Policy program before going on to receive both degrees from each of the respective institutions.

University of Adelaide researcher, Dr Tamara Jackson, is leading the Rupantar Project, which is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. The project aims to explore the processes and practices that can be applied to achieve sustainable, efficient, diversified food systems at scale in the Eastern Gangetic Plains of Bangladesh, India and Nepal. This region has the world’s highest concentration of rural poverty and a strong dependence on agriculture for food and livelihood security.

Associate Professor Emma George from the University of Adelaide will lead research on an enhanced model of care for exploitation survivors in India that meets physical, emotional and social health needs and empowers women, families and communities.

The University of Adelaide will play a leading role in strengthening India’s agriculture sector through a project that will research, design and deliver pilot training products in partnership with stakeholders from the Australian international education sector and the Australian and Indian agricultural sectors. This training will build the capability of India’s agricultural workforce and help meet India’s emerging agricultural skills needs, with benefits flowing to farmers and other parts of the agricultural value chain.

International students from the University of Adelaide have been awarded for their academic excellence and community engagement as part of the 2023 StudyAdelaide International Student Awards. Taseef Farook from Bangladesh was awarded International Student of the Year and was also the Postgraduate (Research) category winner. Mr Farook is a PhD student from the Adelaide Dental School at the University of Adelaide. Hania Abdul Baseer from Pakistan was the Undergraduate category winner.

The University of Adelaide’s Centre for Automotive Safety Research (CASR) and Professional and Continuing Education recently delivered the South Asia Regional Infrastructure Connectivity (SARIC) Road Safety Management Training Program to help reduce the number of road fatalities in the Southern and Central Asian region.

This region is home to just 10 per cent of the world’s cars, trucks, and motorcycles, but accounts for 27 per cent of global traffic deaths.

A group of 17 transport professionals from Bhutan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives and Bangladesh undertook the SARIC Road Safety Management Training Program in Adelaide.

Through interactive site visits, panel discussions, networking events and workshops with world-renowned road safety researchers, program attendees upskilled in road safety engineering and management principles, whilst also developing skills to apply a Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion lens to their work.

SARIC is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The University of Adelaide’s JBI is partnering with the Australia Awards Fellowships, Manbhum Ananda Ashram Nityananda Trust (MANT), and the Centre for Public Health Research (CPHR) to help bridge the healthcare gap between Tribal and non-Tribal communities in West Bengal, India. The Health Workforce Development in Evidence Implementation Fellowship will equip 15 mid-career researchers, policymakers and health practitioners with the knowledge and skills needed to develop and implement sustainable and culturally appropriate evidence-based healthcare policy and practices for India’s Tribal community, a marginalised group facing a quadruple burden of diseases.