he corporate partners received branded recognition within all the events, invitations, publications, press briefings and other

activities associated with the Initiative. Representatives were cordially invited to all the events and activities in the Initiative. They were offered opportunities to speak and chair panel discussions, and were acknowledged in key speeches, besides being accorded special status by Chief Guests and senior UKIERI representatives.

The corporate partners were recognised in the main press release at all events and the logos carried in all external communication.

Extensive information about the Corporate Champions is available on the UKIERI website with direct links to the company websites. Most importantly, the Corporate Champions were invited to participate in all core programme activities of the Initiative. In the HE awards, areas of interest are mentioned clearly in the call for bids, encouraging maximum applications for the corporate partners. In the UK-India School Clusters, sub-projects are specially designed in areas of interest so that there can be enhanced interaction. Special seats were reserved for the Corporate Champions and their nominees in the workshops conducted in India and the UK for stronger bids in the HE Research Awards.

We are grateful for and look forward to the extremely proactive support and engagement of the Corporate Champions as true partners in the Initiative, in the coming years

Champions engaged and informed about the UKIERI Board agenda and interactions. Some of the key points of discussion on the UKIERI Board in the last six months have been the approval of recommendation of the evaluation panel for the HE Awards, agreeing on the framework for corporate support of UKIERI, participation in UKIERI by the Indian government through the Department of Science & Technology and the year end review of UKIERI's achievements in its first full year of operation. Pia affirms, “The Corporate Champions are participating in UKIERI because they believe it has the potential to enhance significantly, educational links between the UK and India, which in turn is good for business in both countries. Each company has chosen to engage in the programme through financial support as well as directly through some of the collaborative educational activities in a way unique to their business footprint"

he UK and India Education and Research Initiative is a unique partnership of expert organisations spanning the field of education

and research links between UK and India. The contribution of the corporate partners is huge. Their financial support is of course very important. However, over and above this, they contribute great expertise in their fields; a professional and rigorous approach and engagement with the markets and economies of our two countries. Their contribution is essential to the future of the Initiative

he British High Commissioner, Sir Michael Arthur, hosted a special lunch for the Corporate Champions at his residence in New

Delhi. Besides very senior attendees from BP and Shell, it was also attended by Professor Thorat, Chairman of the University Grants Commission, Shobha Mishra from FICCI, Keshav Desiraju of MHRD, other senior policy makers from the government as well as senior academicians. It provided an apt platform for the High Commissioner, as a senior member of the UKIERI Board, to gratefully acknowledge the Corporate Champion's contribution and for the CCs to reaffirm their support