Nagaland University has joined hands with the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), an autonomous policy research institute under the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance research and academic cooperation.

The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the International Conference on “Global South and Triangular Cooperation: Emerging Facets” held on June 3 and 4, 2025. Professor Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General of RIS, and Professor Jayanta Choudhury, Head, Department of Rural Development and Planning, Nagaland University, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective institutions.

With this MoU, Nagaland University becomes one of only 23 universities in India to be part of the RIS University Connect initiative. The collaboration aims to establish a University Connect Hub that will facilitate collaborative research, capacity building, and knowledge exchange between the two institutions.

Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play

Key objectives and activities under the MoU include: Joint research and pooling of academic resources: Organisation of seminars and conferences on global economic issues, climate change, and development finance; Faculty exchange programmes; Collaborative publications and dissemination of research; and Exchange of research materials and publications.

Prof Jagadish K. Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland University, welcomed the partnership and expressed optimism that the establishment of the University Connect Hub would align with and strengthen the university’s mission for academic excellence and regional development.

In a notable milestone for higher education in the Northeast, Prof. Jayanta Choudhury has also been appointed as the first academic from the region to join the Steering Committee of the Forum for India Development Cooperation (FIDC) — a flagship platform hosted by RIS to promote South-South Cooperation and India’s development partnerships.

This partnership is expected to not only bolster Nagaland University’s academic and research capacities but also contribute meaningfully to the development discourse and international cooperation, particularly in the context of India’s engagement with the Global South.