South Asia
University contacts who work across South Asia
Pankaj Pankaj
Based in Edinburgh, Pankaj provides leadership in the development of a strategy to shape activities, partnerships and priorities to enhance the University’s engagement with South Asia.
Audrey Kon
Based in Singapore, Audrey is providing interim cover as Regional Director for South Asia. In addition to her role as Regional Director Southeast Asia and Australasia, Audrey is responsible for coordinating and advancing priority activity across South Asia, including the development and management of partnerships, connections and opportunities with key institutions and agencies.
Harish Lokhun
Harish leads recruitment and development activity in priority markets across South and Central Asia - including India, Pakistan and Russia. Harish collaborates closely with the South Asia Regional Centre on the development of partnerships and alumni engagement related to the team’s Regional plan. He is supporting the internationalisation strategy for the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine and Secretary to the University’s Student Recruitment and Fee Strategy group.
Rupal Parikh
Based in Mumbai, Rupal is responsible for supporting the development and management of the University’s partnerships and engagement with leading institutions and organisations across South Asia. She is also involved in student recruitment activity and works towards student mobility programs and alumni engagement within the region.
Bhagyashri Salunkhe
Based in Mumbai, Bhagyashri arranges the day-to-day running of the South Asia Regional Centre in Mumbai. She manages logistics for events and visits, ensuring they run smoothly. She also manages the office finances, business relationships and South Asia enquiries.
About the Team
The Regional Team was established to develop and maintain links with universities, research institutions, government agencies, companies and cultural organisations.
Other work includes scholarship development, student internships and alumni engagement. Academic partnerships including student exchanges and joint degrees are a rapidly developing area.
Historic links with India
The University of Edinburgh’s engagement with India stretches from historic connections with the study of Indian botany, culture and religion by Edinburgh-qualified academics and laymen in the 18th century, to large numbers of India’s first overseas students gaining degrees at Edinburgh. Our partnerships in India are based on high-quality research and academic cooperation.
Research funding
Liaison with government agencies and other funding bodies to support partnerships such as the Centre for Brain Development & Repair, Bangalore.
Strategic engagement
Today’s global economic, environmental and development challenges require innovative solutions to increasingly complex and international problems. The focus of the University of Edinburgh’s engagement with South Asia is to develop multi-disciplinary and creative solutions via collaborative partnerships. The Centre is also fundraising and strengthening the engagement with the 1400 strong alumni network in India.
Recruitment
Harish Lokhun, Regional Manager, leads recruitment in the region.
To support our applicants from South Asia, we publish dedicated guidance on entry requirements, which translates UK requirements into local qualifications.
Entry requirements
For undergraduate and postgraduate applicants from South Asia
Visits
We regularly meet with prospective students and partners in South Asia.
Partnerships
The University has relationships with India’s leading institutions including:
- Indian Institutes of Technology
- National Centre for Biological Sciences
- Christian Medical College Vellore
- Jawaharlal Nehru University
The Regional Centre assists in maintaining relationships, arranging lectures, workshops and symposia to facilitate research-led collaborations with these institutions.
University Centres
Edinburgh India Institute
The Edinburgh India Institute encourages greater awareness of India in Scotland.
Centre for South Asian Studies
The Centre for South Asian Studies is dedicated to the study of South Asia.
