Info-Event: Doctoral Research Collaborations in India

India plays a crucial role in addressing global challenges – from climate resilience and public health to economic and urban transformation processes. This session is aimed at doctoral candidates at TUM who conduct or plan to conduct field research in India, and offers practical guidance, collegial exchange, and insights into diverse research approaches. Advanced master’s students intending to pursue a doctorate, as well as postdocs who would like to share their experiences, are also warmly invited.

Our keynote speaker, Prof. Miranda Schreurs, will share her experiences from long-standing research collaborations in climate and environmental policy, which include key partnerships in India. Among other topics, she will address the country’s dynamic research structures and the importance of just and cross-regional cooperation.

Following the keynote, Mohaa Vyas, Senior Regional Manager (India), will be joined by several postdocs to provide insights into their work and research projects. Examples from their fieldwork in rural areas of Rajasthan or in informal settlements in Mumbai, to name just two, will broaden the discussion by illustrating the challenges that can arise in demanding research settings and how they were addressed. In addition to questions of logistics, language barriers, and academic planning, the session will also touch upon intercultural particularities, the conditions for equitable research collaboration, and the building of trustful partnerships across borders.

Look forward to the following program items:

• Keynote: Conducting Research in India: A Land of Tremendous Opportunity and Need
  Prof. Dr. Miranda Schreurs, Chair of Environmental and Climate Policy,  Munich School of Politics and Public Policy, TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology
   
• Research in India: Trends, Key Topics, and Funding Opportunities
  Mohaa Vyas, Senior Regional Manager (India)
   
• Navigating the Different Phases and Challenges of Research Projects Abroad
  Dr. Manuela Fritz, postdoctoral researcher at Professorship of Global Health & Professorship of Public Policy for the Green Transition, Munich School of Politics and Public Policy, TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology
   
• Collaboration in Action: Who’s Involved and Key Takeaways 
  Dr. Shruti Shukla, postdoctoral researcher at the Professorship for Global Health, Munich School of Politics and Public Policy, TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology
   
• Funding Opportunities by BayIND
  Dr. Ayesha Mueller-Wolfertshofer, postdoctoral researcher at Professorship of Urban Design, TUM School of Engineering and Design
   
• From Junior to Senior: Navigating Research Transitions Through Cooperation with India
  Dr. Roberto Villalba Camacho, postdoctoral researcher at the Chair of Production & Resource Economics, TUM School of Management
   
• Panel Discussion: Opportunities and Challenges of Research in Practice
  With all guests and in exchange with the audience 
   
• From 8 p.m.: Informal networking over a buffet featuring popular Indian dishes