UBC launches new South Asia Hub, partnerships in India: The UBC South Asia Hub, a new partnership with ATLAS SkillTech University, and a $4-million investment in scholarships for outstanding Indian students were announced as part of Prime Minister Mark Carney and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand’s visit to India.
The University of British Columbia is launching a permanent South Asia Hub to deepen academic and research collaboration between Canada and India. The Hub is a coordinated platform designed to deepen research collaboration, academic partnerships, and talent development between Canada and India.
UBC also signed a new partnership with ATLAS SkillTech University to strengthen transnational education, and more than $4 million in entrance scholarships for outstanding Indian undergraduate students.
These initiatives were announced Feb. 28 in Mumbai as part of the federal government’s launch of the Canada-India Talent and Innovation Strategy, which positions education and research partnerships as pillars of innovation and long‑term cooperation between the two countries. This strategy will reinforce collaboration through opportunities for students and researchers, drive economic growth and deepen the strong people-to-people ties that connect the two countries. The announcement also included the creation of a Canada-India Talent and Innovation Task Force, supported by Universities Canada and university leaders from both countries.
“Canada and India are natural partners in education, innovation and research,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand. “Canada welcomes the new Canada-India Talent and Innovation Strategy that will create opportunities for students and researchers, drive economic growth, and reinforce the strong people-to-people ties that connect our two countries.”
“UBC’s expanded engagement in India reflects our belief that the most important challenges of our time are global in nature—and that universities play a central role in advancing solutions through purposeful partnerships,” said UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Benoit-Antoine Bacon. “By strengthening collaboration in India across education, talent development, innovation and research, we are creating meaningful opportunities for students and scholars in both countries to work together, share expertise and generate impact that extends far beyond our campuses.”
Strengthening academic collaboration and pathways
The UBC South Asia Hub began as a pilot focused on talent development, student mobility, partnerships and alumni engagement across South Asia. As part of today’s announcement, it will soon expand to become a coordinated platform supporting research collaborations, academic partnerships, and industry engagement between Canada and India.
UBC also signed a statement of cooperation with ATLAS SkillTech University on Feb. 27. ATLAS SkillTech University—India’s first urban multidisciplinary university located in the heart of Mumbai’s business district—is focused on bridging academia and industry through a range of programs, including design, management, entrepreneurship, technology and law.
The UBC-ATLAS partnership is focused on collaboration with UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering and Faculty of Management, creating opportunities for joint programming and academic pathways, including a dual-degree program, and research exchanges between the two campuses.
“Global partnerships create opportunities not only for research collaboration, but for deeper understanding across cultures and perspectives,” said UBC Okanagan Provost and Vice-President, Academic pro tem, Marie Tarrant. “By working alongside colleagues and students at ATLAS, we are strengthening academic connections and creating space for diverse approaches to learning, innovation and problem-solving.”
“The future of higher education is borderless,” said ATLAS SkillTech University Chancellor and Founding President Indu Shahani. “By partnering with UBC, we are creating an academic continuum that begins in India and extends to the global stage—empowering our students to learn locally and compete internationally.”
In addition, UBC is committing $4 million toward scholarships for high-achieving Indian students for the 2026 Winter intake.
“Expanding access to high-quality education and meaningful academic pathways is central to our work,” said Damara Klaassen, executive director of UBC’s International Student Initiative. “By investing in students, we are strengthening academic connections between our institutions and creating opportunities for learners to engage across cultures and communities.”
Since the 2020 Winter intake, UBC—through its International Student Initiative merit-based entrance awards program—has offered over $89 million in award funding to Indian citizens, with 837 award recipients enrolling at UBC.
Building on UBC’s strong foundation of partnership in India
Today’s announcement builds on UBC’s longstanding history of education and research partnerships in India. UBC is one of the few Canadian universities with a dedicated presence in India through the UBC-India Liaison Office and now the expanded UBC South Asia Hub.
In 2012, UBC became the host of the India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability (IC-IMPACTS)—a $30 million pan-Canadian centre of excellence dedicated to advancing joint research and applied solutions between the two countries.
Since 2020, UBC researchers and their counterparts in India have produced more than 1,600 joint scientific publications spanning a wide range of disciplines from medicine, life sciences and public health to engineering and physics.
UBC also has statements of cooperation with Manipal Academy of Higher Education, O.P. Jindal Global University, Ahmedabad University, Atria University, and FLAME University, as well as student mobility agreements with Ashoka University, Indian Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, ITS Dental College, and the University of Delhi.
Collectively, these initiatives advance UBC’s Strategic Directions 2025-2030, particularly ‘Partner for Purpose,’ which prioritizes expanding the number and scope of strategic, reciprocal partnerships that address the critical, diverse and emergent needs of the people and communities in BC, Canada and across the world.
