In 2015 the University of Greenwich (UoG) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR), Dhanbad, India to undertake collaborative research and academic exchanges via the formation of a joint Indo:UK Environment Centre (IU-CERI).
The foundation of this Centre was laid down during a jointly organised Indo:UK seminar in India, sponsored by the Royal Society, London and DST, Govt. of India in January 2015. The outcomes of this seminar demonstrated that a number of significant environmental problems in India can be mitigated via the Centre's joint research and stakeholder expertise.
The IU-CERI is a vehicle that will have a direct conduit into India through the Indian Government to ensure the possibilities to deploy a state-of-art UK research framework to India, and potential client's confidence that it is a fully supported, capable and professional entity. This will also help to ensure the environmental benefits to India via the UK technology introduction covering the Indian Prime Minister's mission 'Make in India'.
The IU-CERI brings together the funding support obtained from the University of Greenwich and CSIR-CIMFR joint projects on diverse areas of:
- Contamination remediation
- Waste utilisation
- Carbon sequestration
- Restoration of degraded lands
The IU-CERI network including Indian 'problem holders' is also associated with the CO2Chem KTN (which has 1000 members worldwide) for advice on potential projects/funding to the Centre, and establish direct contact with potential customers.
To capitalise upon the potential for research and other income for IUEC, a number of potential industry partners and problem holders from India have been identified with the intervention of CSIR-CIMFR and the proposals for collaborative projects will be submitted as the Centre develops.