Gujarat Biotechnology University celebrates its first graduation ceremony

Partnership Director David Leach was in attendance for this milestone in the University of Edinburgh’s partnership with Gujarat Biotechnology University (GBU). 

Led by the School of Biological Sciences, the University of Edinburgh's partnership contributed to the establishment and launch of GBU, India’s first dedicated biotechnology university. 

Teaching commenced in 2022 and 100 further students joined GBU in 2023, and are set to graduate in 2025.

MSc program

The graduates have completed a two-year MSc program specialising in Animal, Environmental, Industrial, Medical, or Plant Biotechnology. 

The bespoke curricula of the five programmes were developed by the University of Edinburgh, with a challenge-led approach to empower the student’s entrepreneurship and drive advancements in the biotechnology industry. 

Three of the inaugural GBU graduates have now been awarded grants and funding to support start-up progression and innovation, with others securing placements in a range of industry roles. 

Research Placements

Each of the five programmes included a nine-month dissertation project, with research placements conducted at the University of Edinburgh, other institutions in India, and within industry. 

In Spring 2024, twelve of the graduates attended the University of Edinburgh to complete fourteen-week research placements in labs across the School of Biological Sciences, School of Chemistry and the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine including the Roslin Institute, working under joint supervision from University of Edinburgh and GBU faculty.