By Vintu Augustine
Bengaluru, Dec. 18, 2025: Bengaluru’s Christ University, in collaboration with the Australian Catholic University has opened the Global STEM Education Centre in its campus in southern India.
“The initiative aims to transform STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics] education across the Indo-Pacific through research, innovation, and inclusive teaching practices,” said Sindu George, associate professor at the Australian university’s National School of Education.
The center, opened on December 12, will be a milestone for transnational academic cooperation, she added.
Carmelite Father C C Jose, Christ University vice chancellor, underscored the centre’s potential to empower educators and students with future-ready STEM capabilities rooted in ethical values and global relevance.
Julie Cogin, provost and deputy vice-chancellor (academic) of the Australian university, in her keynote address, hailed the partnership as a bold step towards interdisciplinary, inclusive, and socially responsive education.
The center, she added, will act as a hub for research-informed STEM education and bilateral exchange between Australia and India.
The center’s objectives include professional development for pre-service and in-service teachers, collaborative research in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital literacy.
It will also provide joint curriculum development and university–school–community partnerships, as well as the inclusion of underrepresented groups, especially girls and marginalized communities, Cogin said.
The vice chancellor said the center is aligned with India’s National Education Policy 2020, aiming to shift STEM learning beyond textbooks into hands-on, interdisciplinary engagement.
After the symbolic unveiling of the center’s logo and website, a student exhibition showcased innovations in robotics, AI, and sustainability.
A panel discussion explored the significance of inclusive STEM education, while concurrent workshops offered professional development for teachers and an interactive STEM lab experience for school students.
Greta D’Souza, head of the Department at CU’s School of Education, said the Bengaluru center is poised to become a regional think tank driving policy reform and educational innovation across the Indo-Pacific region.
Future plans include annual summits, academic exchanges, joint publications, and scaling of initiatives to other countries in the region, she added.
Sindu George, associate professor at ACU’s National School of Education, in her vote of thanks, stressed that the partnership exemplifies what’s possible when institutions unite to serve a global good.
The program concluded with the inauguration of the on-campus STEM Lab.