University of Liverpool, IISc back early-stage research with joint seed fund

The University of Liverpool (UOL) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, have announced a joint seed fund for early-stage collaborative research in areas such as AI, health and space.

It is a small but telling sign of how UK-India academic ties are moving from broad intent to targeted research support, with money now being set aside to help ideas get off the ground in artificial intelligence, biomedicine, life sciences, One Health, quantum technology and space.

The two institutions said they will co-invest annually for an initial three years.

UOL and IISc signed a memorandum of understanding in 2023, and their biochemistry links go back to one of the oldest traditions in the field at either institution. UOL’s own science links with India are not new, but they have deepened in recent years through visits, research exchanges, and wider engagement in Karnataka.

In August 2024, Professor Tariq Ali, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement and Partnerships at UOL, visited India and met existing partners at IISc in Bengaluru, alongside other institutions. Earlier, in December 2023, UOL noted the shared biochemistry heritage between the two campuses.

Professor Ali explained this development as a new chapter for the relationship and a way to connect expertise in AI, biotechnology, health, quantum and space.

Founded in 1909, IISc is India’s premier centre for advanced research and education in science and engineering. Today it remains a major research university with a strong culture of interdisciplinary work and international partnerships.

UOL has been building a larger presence in India, and its Bengaluru plans have progressed steadily. In May 2025 it received permission to open its first international campus in Bengaluru, with the first intake due in August 2026. It has since announced the campus location, opened admissions, and held a ground-breaking ceremony at Alembic City in December 2025.

The initial subject mix includes business management, accounting and finance, computer science, biomedical sciences and game design, showing that UOL intends the campus to serve both India’s skills needs and its own global ambitions.

UOL has said its India work will combine teaching, research and mobility, including opportunities for students to move between Bengaluru and Liverpool. The new fund with IISc looks like an attempt to build the academic habits that make international partnerships durable.

Professor Baladitya Suri, Chair of the Office of International Relations at IISc, said the development should foster interdisciplinary dialogue and sustainable engagement through faculty and student exchange, joint supervision, workshops and symposia.