Hyderabad: A key meeting took place as Andrew Collister, Consul at the Australian Consulate-General in Bengaluru, visited Prof. V Balakista Reddy, Chairman of the Telangana Council of Higher Education (TGCHE). The focus was on building future partnerships for two upcoming institutions in Telangana — a Sports University and an Earth Sciences University.
During the meeting, Collister emphasized Australia’s interest in sports and digital public infrastructure. He shared examples of successful sports science programs at Deakin University and the University of Queensland. Both universities are known for their advanced research and training in sports sciences.
Collister also highlighted previous Australian collaborations in Telangana, including projects with We-Hub under corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. He encouraged TGCHE to share key focus areas in sports and related disciplines. This would help match Telangana’s needs with the right Australian universities for potential partnerships.
In response, Prof. Reddy promised to pass on the necessary information to the Telangana government and coordinate with relevant departments. He assured Collister that the Council would be ready to connect during his next visit to Hyderabad.
Their discussions touched on several important topics. These included developing a sports curriculum, increasing women’s participation in sports, promoting sports law, and supporting differently-abled athletes. Collister also proposed the idea of organizing sports competitions between Australian universities and Telangana’s public universities.
Looking ahead, both sides are considering small, joint projects in sports and elite science fields. These efforts aim to build strong academic and research ties between India and Australia, with Telangana playing a key role.
