Professor Farrell said that La Trobe has a proud and longstanding history in India, partnering with higher education institutions and key industries on projects of benefit to both countries as well as joint educational initiatives. The trip will be his third visit since starting at the University in February 2024.
"I am delighted to be visiting India again and look forward to deepening La Trobe's existing partnerships with esteemed Indian universities and industries, while forging new ones,” Professor Farrell said.
“Our significant expertise in areas including bio-innovation, health and wellbeing, technology and sustainable food and agriculture are being utilised through our partnerships with prestigious institutions in India such as the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and the Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre (BBC) with whom we are establishing a Bio Innovation corridor to support the development of research and innovation.
“Likewise, I am excited at the prospect of exploring further learning opportunities for students in India and in Australia via joint educational partnerships in India. Together, we can achieve remarkable milestones and contribute to the development of higher education in both countries."
Professor Farrell participated in a panel discussion at the QS India Summit 2025 in Goa on Tuesday, 28 January.
The panel, chaired by Dr Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro Chancellor of Symbiosis International University, addressed the theme "Addressing Global Uncertainties: Building Resilient Educational Institutions”. The summit, hosted by the Ministry of Education, Government of India and SRM Institute of Science and Technology, was an important platform for discussing global challenges in higher education.
On 31 January, Professor Farrell will celebrate the 30th anniversary of La Trobe’s partnership with Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR) in Delhi. This event will commemorate three decades of academic collaboration and student exchange, highlighting the enduring relationship between the two esteemed institutions.
Additionally, Professor Farrell will be a panellist at The PIE Live event in Delhi on 31 January. The session will explore updates to the national education agenda, future workforce trends and collaborative efforts to realise the National Education Policy (NEP). The panel will provide insights on balancing global strategies, public-private partnerships and sustainable development goals.
Throughout his visit, Professor Farrell will engage with key stakeholders in Indian higher education, including partner tertiary institutions, researchers and government officials.
For more information about La Trobe University, visit the website: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/
About La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell
Professor Theo Farrell commenced as Vice-Chancellor and President of La Trobe University in February 2024. He brings a deep commitment to advancing academic excellence, building inclusive communities, forging external partnerships, and leading transformative change. Read his full profile here.
Background information
- La Trobe University is ranked in the top 1 per cent of Universities worldwide
*Times Higher Education (THE), 2024, World University Rankings 2025; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 2024, Ranking Web of Universities - The University has a proud record of educating students from India, with around 11,000 people born in India among our alumni.
- La Trobe University is one of the founding members of the Australia India Institute.
- The IIT Kanpur – La Trobe Research Academy was established in 2020.
- Asian Smart Cities Research Innovation Network (ASCRIN), was founded by La Trobe in 2019 and is now its single largest research internationalisation initiative with joint investment of more than AUD $43 million (Rs 235 crores). It is a partnership designed to improve sustainability, liveability and efficiency of Asian cities. Partners in the network include Tata Institute of Social Science; the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) and Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS-Pilani) which includes more than 250 researchers and over 70 joint-PhD projects.
- In 2024, the University announced that it would be establishing a Bio Innovation Corridor with India’s Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and the Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre (BBC), to support the development of research and innovation.
- La Trobe has several long-standing teaching partnerships, including with Lady Shri Ram College, which has been running for 30 years.
- Dignitaries La Trobe University has hosted from the Indian subcontinent include Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi, Kapil Dev, Malaika Arora Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajkumar Hirani, Abhijat Joshi and, most recently, actor, producer and women’s equality advocate, Shah Rukh Khan.
- La Trobe offers the Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship, providing a life-changing opportunity for an aspiring female researcher from India to make a meaningful impact in the world.
- La Trobe University is one of only two universities in Australia teaching Hindi, and the only Australian University to teach a subject on the history, music, and storytelling of popular Hindi cinema.
- The La Trobe Library collection houses more than 38,000 volumes of monographs, journals, magazines and government publications from India, one of the largest collections in Australia.
- La Trobe has been a proud sponsor of the Indian Film Festival in Melbourne since it began in 2010.
