Visit by the Director of IIT Hyderabad , Prof. Dr. Budaraju Srinivasa Murty at KIT

On May 4, 2026, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology welcomed a delegation from the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad led by B. S. Murty for an extensive exchange on future research and cooperation opportunities. The visit focused on discussions with various KIT institutes and research facilities in the fields of materials science, production engineering, nanotechnology, and emerging technologies. The meetings highlighted the strong mutual interest in establishing a long-term and structured collaboration between the two institutions.

The visit began at the Institute for Applied Materials – Materials Science and Engineering (IAM-WK), where the delegation received an overview of the institute’s structure and current research activities. Discussions focused in particular on possible formats for collaboration, including student and researcher exchange, joint doctoral programmes, and long-term research cooperation. Both sides emphasised the importance of institutional frameworks for sustainable collaboration.

The delegation then visited the wbk Institute of Production Science. Gisela Lanza presented current research activities in the fields of circular economy, digitalisation, and AI-driven production processes. Opportunities for long-term KIT–India cooperation were also discussed, particularly in the areas of automotive engineering, aerospace, and robotics. A laboratory tour provided insights into current applications of additive manufacturing and digital process analysis.

During the meeting with the President of KIT, Jan S. Hesthaven, the research profiles of both institutions were presented and common focus areas were identified. These included quantum technologies, semiconductor research, artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing, and sustainable materials. Various possibilities for strengthening cooperation were discussed, including joint research programmes and academic exchange formats.

In the afternoon, the delegation visited the Institute of Nanotechnology and the Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility. State-of-the-art technologies in nanofabrication, materials characterisation, and automated synthesis processes were presented. Discussions focused on potential joint research projects in the field of high-resolution microscopy as well as future PhD and postdoctoral collaborations.

The visit concluded with a tour of the Institute for Applied Materials – Applied Materials Physics. Research activities related to high-temperature materials, oxidation processes, and multicomponent alloys were presented. Both sides identified numerous scientific synergies and expressed strong interest in joint research projects and long-term scientific cooperation.

The discussions throughout the visit demonstrated the strong scientific alignment between the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. In particular, the potential for collaboration in the fields of materials science, microscopy, sustainable production, autonomous systems, and emerging technologies was strongly emphasised.