https://youtu.be/c0IWzmOp8DQ University Aerial View

SPARC (Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration)

EVOLUTION OF SPARC

In order to facilitate fundamental and socially relevant research in India, lot of emphasis is being laid to strengthen collaboration between Indian Research groups with Top research groups in the world, so that India scientists and students can interact with the finest minds in the world. With this objective in mind, MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India) in 2015 launched GIAN (Global Initiative of Academic Networks), under which an International academician can visit an Indian Institute for two weeks to offer a course. The response was overwhelming, as apart from the course the Indian students and academicians got a chance to interact with the International Faculty. In the meantime, DST (Department of Science & Technology, Government of India) came up with another unique program in 2017, VAJRA (Visiting Advanced Joint Research), under which an International Scientist of Repute can spend longer duration in the country. However, it was realized that maximum benefit of an collaboration can be harvested only when the Indian Research group, particularly the students can be physically exposed to the world class research facilities and equipment available with Top international groups in their respective Institutes. As of now, such travel opportunities are limited, as there are no formal program that generously support student visit for longer periods.

SPARC (Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration) proposed to fill up this void in the collaboration eco system, as it not only funds for long term visit by the International Faculty (2 to 8 months) but would also fund the travel and sustenance of Indian students at the University/ Institute of the International collaborator. The program aims at exposing large number of young students, the torch bearers of the future generation, to state of art developments in science, thereby increasing the number of highly trained scientific manpower in the country, as well as significantly enhance the visibility of Indian Science and Scientists in the world map of highly competitive cutting edge science. It is expected that some of the joint ideas would not only lead to breakthrough in science, but would also result in sustainable technological products that will be beneficial to mankind at large, in addition to fulfilling the need of India.

VISION – THE WAY AHEAD

The major outcome of the SPARC initiative will be strong research collaboration between Indian Research groups with top research group in the leading Universities of the world, in areas that are at the cutting edge of science or with direct social relevance to the mankind, specifically India. The strong joint research should lead to tangible result that should include large number of high quality research publications, solution to key national and international problems, development of niche courses, high quality text books and research monographs, imbibing of best practices from top international academicians and researchers, strong bilateral cooperation, and improved world reputation and ranking of Indian Institutions.

The Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) aims at improving the research ecosystem of India’s Higher Educational Institutions by facilitating academic and research collaborations between Indian Institutions and the best institutions in the world from 28 selected nations to jointly solve problems of national and/or international relevance.

The scheme proposes to enable productive academic cooperation by supporting the following critical components that can catalyze impact making research, namely:

  • Visits and long-term stay of top international faculty / researchers in Indian institutions to pursue teaching and research

  • Visits by Indian students for training and experimentation in premier laboratories worldwide

  • Joint development of niche courses, world-class books and monographs, translatable patents, demonstrable technologies or action research outcomes and products

  • Consolidation of Bilateral cooperation through academic and research partnerships through Indo-X Workshops in India

  • Publication, Dissemination and Visibility through a high profile annual international Conference in India

The expected outcomes include tangible results in terms of large quantity of high quality research publications, solution to key national and international problems, development of niche courses, high quality text books and research monographs, imbibing of best practices from top international academicians and researchers, strong bilateral cooperation, and improved world reputation and ranking of Indian Institutions.

SPARC INSTITUTE COORDINATOR

Dr H J Shiva Prasad

Professor of Civil Engineering

College of Technology, G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology

PANTNAGAR-263145, Udham Singh Nagar District, Uttarakhand State

Email:sptce@gbpuat-tech.ac.in / h.j.s.prasad@gmail.com

Mobile No: 9719245303 / 8449859593

www.gbpuat.ac.in


Link to participate in the SPARC project workshop

https://forms.gle/JvZkGRH6FcdHK5PS9

SPARC_SPRINGS_WORKSHOP_Leaflet_C.pdf

Two days Workshop on

“Recharge Process of Springs and Its Management to Mitigate Anthropogenic and Climate Change Impact for Water Security: A case study in part of Kumaun Lesser Himalaya, India”

during

January 21-22, 2020

G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar

(www.gbpuat.ac.in)

in association with

Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

(www.bhu.ac.in);

WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY, Australia

http://westernsydney.edu.au ,

THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, Australia

http://unimelb.edu.au

Sponsored by

Proposed Schedule

21/01/2020: Tuesday

8.30-9.30: Registration & welcome

9.30-10.30 : Inauguration : Vice Chancellor and other dignitaries

10.30-11.00: High Tea

11.00-12.00: Prof. Basant Maheswari, WSU, Sydney, Australia, http://westernsydney.edu.au

Managing India’s Invisible Water Resource-The Role of Participatory Groundwater Monitoring and and Management at the Local Level

12.00-13.00: Prof. Mallickarjun Joshi, BHU, Varanasi, India, www.bhu.ac.in

Hydrological Issues of the Headwater catchments in Himalayas

13.00-14.00: Lunch

14.00-15.00: Dr Kireet Kumar, GBPNIHESD, Almora, India, http://gbpihed.gov.in

Springs- Case studies of Almora Region

15.00-16.00: Dr Meenakshi Arora, UOM, Melborne, Australia, http://unimelb.edu.au

Groundwater quality: Challenges and solutions

16.00-16.30: Tea break

16.30-17.00: Dr Dharma Hagare, WSU, Sydney, Australia, http://westernsydney.edu.au

Estimation of urban recharge: A case study

17.00-17.30: Prof Jyothi Prasad, GBPUAT, Pantnagar, India, www.gbpuat.ac.in

Artesian flowing wells at Pantnagar University

22/01/2020 Wednesday

9.30-10.30: Professor Andrew W Western, UOM, Australia, http://unimelb.edu.au

Using long droughts as surrogates for climate change impacts on streamflow

10.30-11.00: Tea break

11.00-12.00: Dr Shive Prakash Rai, BHU, India; www.bhu.ac.in

Role of isotopes in investigating hydrology of Himalayan Springs: A review and possibilities

12.00-13.00: Prof H J Shiva Prasad, GBPUAT, India; www.gbpuat.ac.in

Status of springs in Uttarakhand

13.00-14.00: Closing session

14.00-14.30: Lunch

14.30-onwards Field visit to Flowing wells

Venue: G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand State

23/01/2020 Thursday (Optional & limited to project partners only)

Field visit to GBPNIHESD & Almora District springs

24/01/2020 Friday (Optional & limited to project partners only)

Field visit to Nainital District springs

Australia


India


LIST OF EXPERTS AND PARTICIPANTS:

  1. Prof BASANT, WSU, Sydney, Australia

  2. Dr DHARMA HAGARE, WSU, Sydney, Australia

  3. Prof ANDREW WESTERN, UOM, Melbourne, Australia

  4. Dr MEENAKSHI ARORA, UOM, Melbourne, Australia

  5. Prof M K JOSHI, BHU, Varanasi

  6. Dr S P RAI, BHU, Varanasi

  7. NIJESH P, BHU, Varanasi

  8. ABHINAV, BHU, Varanasi

  9. KIREET KUMAR, GBPNIHESD, Almora

  10. SWATANTRA KUMAR DUBEY, IISER BHOPAL

  11. Dr BAHADUR KOTLIA, KU, NAINITAL

  12. KALPANA GURURANI, KU, NAINITAL

  13. SHAHDITTA BAKSHI, KU, NAINITAL

  14. ANKITA SAWAI, Glocal University, Saharanpur

  15. NEHA TIWARI, Gurukul Kangri, Haridwar

  16. DEEPAK SINGH, DTU, Delhi

  17. Dr JAYANTILAL N PATEL, SVNIT, SURAT

  18. GANDHI FENIL R, SVNIT, SURAT

  19. SONGARA JAYSUKH C, SVNIT, SURAT

  20. ROMIT SEN, SUSTAIN, New Delhi

  21. RAVIKANT KUMAR, SUSTAIN, New Delhi

  22. POONAM, PITHORAGARH

  23. NEEARJ PANT, NIH, Roorkee

  24. SAPNA ARORA NARULA, TERI School of Adv. Stu Delhi.

  25. VISHAL R KHANDAGALE, SIT, TUMKUR

  26. Prof NANDEESHA, SIT, TUMKUR

  27. RUCHI VERMA, ATREE, BANGALORE

  28. UTKARSH KUMAR, VPKAS, Almora

  29. SONU, CCU, HISAR

  30. Dr. SANJAY KUMAR, CCU, HISAR

  31. Er. MANJEET SINGH, MPUAT, UDAIPUR

  32. Dr K K YADAV, MPUAT, UDAIPUR

  33. Dr PATIL PRAVIN RAJDHAR, MPUAT, UDAIPUR

  34. Dr YOGITA DASHORA, MPUAT, UDAIPUR

  35. Prof R SINGH, IITKGP, Kharaghpur

  36. Dr DAMODHAR MAILAPALLI, IITKGP, Kharaghpur

  37. Dr SOMASUBHRA CHAKRABORTY, IITKGP, Kharaghpur

  38. Md. Anjar Alam, IITKGP, Kharaghpur

  39. Mr Shahank Shekhar, PhD Scholar, IITKGP, Kharaghpur

  40. Prof JYOTHI PRASAD, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar

  41. Prof H J SHIVA PRASAD, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar

  42. MOHD AZAM, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar

  43. PRAKHAR SHARMA, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar

  44. ROHIT BISHT, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar

  45. NEENU, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar

  46. DEEPAK KUMAR, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar

  47. Dr RAVI SAXENA, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar

  48. ANURADHA KUMARI, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar

  49. MANISH KUMAR, GBPUA&T, Pantnagar