Overview
This webinar aims to strengthen bilateral research collaboration between the UK and India by connecting research communities from both countries and showcasing key funding opportunities. The session will provide a platform for UK and Indian researchers and professional services staff to network, share insights, and learn about available funding streams from leading research funders. The webinar will be conducted in English and is open to all UK and India-based research professionals. This webinar will be under the banner of the Research and Innovation Corridor.
Registration
This webinar is open to researchers and professional service staff (i.e. research managers) from across the UK and India interested in developing or strengthening international research links. Registrations will close on Friday 10 July 2026.
Register now to connect with colleagues across the UK–India research community. Successful registration will be confirmed following a brief review to ensure participants align with the intended audience. This helps us maintain a focused and productive environment for collaboration and networking.
In case you have any questions, please contact Anisa Mahmood, Policy Officer South and Central Asia, Universities UK International, [email protected].
Speakers
Professor Gerard Parr MBE
Chair in Telecommunications Engineering
School of Computing Sciences
Professor Gerard Parr MBE is a Full Professor in Telecommunications Engineering and has been Head of School of Computing Sciences at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich from 2016-2023 which involved a range of senior management roles and responsibilities covering Teaching, Research, Innovation and Outreach. He holds a PhD in Self-Stabilising Protocols from Ulster University, aspects of which were completed with University College London (UCL) and one of the founding architects of the Internet (Professor Jon Postel) whilst a Visiting Research Scientist at the DARPA/University of Southern California, Information Sciences Institute in Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles.
Professor Kostas Kontis
Mechan Chair of Engineering and Professor of Aerospace Engineering
University of Glasgow
Professor Konstantinos (Kostas) Kontis is the Chair of the Asia Network at UUKi. He is the Mechan Chair of Engineering and Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Glasgow, where he also serves as Dean for Global Engagement for East Asia and China. He is internationally recognised for pioneering contributions to high-speed flows, plasma flow control, advanced flow diagnostics, and space-environment engineering. Professor Kontis is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng), an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (HonFRAeS), and a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (FAIAA). His work has influenced industrial aerospace applications, European Space Agency-related vehicle-landing protocols, and mission-critical subsystem development. He is widely recognised for combining research excellence, engineering innovation, and global academic leadership.
Dr Mukesh Kumar
Associate Professor in Operations Management
University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing
Dr Mukesh Kumar is Associate Professor in Operations Management at the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing, where he leads research on supply chain resilience, critical minerals, and data driven risk analytics. He is Director of the Global Supply Chain Observatory and the Global Supply Chain Observatory Lab, and leads the UK India Critical Mineral Supply Chain Observatory, a government supported programme building digital infrastructure to improve multi tier visibility, traceability, and responsible sourcing across mineral supply networks. His work integrates large scale data, modelling, and decision support to help governments and industry strengthen supply security, accelerate net zero delivery, and improve ESG assurance
Dr Pankaj Mittal
Secretary General
Association of Indian Universities (AIU)
Dr (Mrs) Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) is the second woman Secretary General of the AIU in its 100 years of existence. She is concurrently serving as Chief Commissioner (Guides) at Bharat Scouts and Guides. Dr Mittal is a Fulbright Scholar and has been a topper in MSc and PhD in Agricultural Statistics from IARI, New Delhi. Dr Mittal has also served as the first regular Vice Chancellor of Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya, Haryana, the first rural women university of North India for two terms. She has been serving the higher education sector for more than 03 decades at senior positions at the University Grants Commission
Rajendra Tripathi
Head of Education Programmes and Partnerships - India
British Council
Rajendra Tripathi is currently the Head of Education Programmes and Partnerships - India at British Council. Rajendra Tripathi brings experience from previous roles at British Council Division, British Deputy High Commission, Oracle India Pvt. Ltd, IBM India and Intel Corporation
Ryan Warren
Acting Director
UKRI India
Ryan leads UKRI’s India office, based in New Delhi. Ryan works with Government of India, academia and industry to develop new partnerships and programmes that create knowledge, improve lives and drive growth.
Ryan has been serving as the Director of UKRI India since June 2025, following his appointment as Deputy Director in April 2023. Prior to joining UKRI India, he worked at Innovate UK—the UK’s Innovation Agency—where he led major programmes on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.
Sophia Nestius-Booth
Regional Director
Science & Technology Network, New Delhi
Sophia Nestius-Booth is the Regional Director of the Science & Technology Network in New Delhi. Sophia has done a range of technology focussed roles across the private sector and civil service including cyber themed roles in the Cabinet Office and a previous FCDO posting in Tokyo.