Southern and Central Asia

Collaboration in action

2026 Australia-India Strategic Research Fund Fellowship

Associate Professor Emma George, College of Health, Adelaide University, was successful in receiving a 2026 Australia-India Strategic Research Fund Fellowship. This funding allows Australian researchers a one to three month visit to India to collaborate with leading institutions. Associate Professor George will visit the Indian Institute of Public Health for research collaboration on allied health.

Find out more

A health professional's hand holding and viewing medical data on a tablet

JBI Evidence-Based Indigenous Health India

Based within Adelaide University’s School of Public Health,  JBI is dedicated to improving patient outcomes by bridging the gap between clinical research and real-world hospital practice. JBI has several highly specialised collaboration entities across the Southern and Central Asia region.

Find out more

Understanding the health impacts of extreme heat on mothers and babies in Pakistan

A collaborative study involving Adelaide University researchers used health data from more than 85,000 mothers and babies in Pakistan to assess the impact of extreme heat on the size of infants.

The study found pregnant women were at a higher risk of delivering infants of a low birth weight following exposure to extreme temperatures. That risk was up to 70% higher in some areas of Pakistan, which are more susceptible to adverse birth outcomes due to their hotter climate, greater socioeconomic disadvantage and limited healthcare access.

Low birth weight is already a major neonatal health issue in Pakistan, leading to neonatal mortality and impaired long-term health problems such as stunted growth or cognitive defects. In recent decades, Pakistan has experienced more frequent heatwaves, droughts and floods, increasing concerns for the health and welfare of mothers and babies.

These findings highlight the need for public health preparedness and climate-adapted maternal care strategies.

Find out more

Pharmacy practice immersion in South India

India and Australia are both experiencing a rapidly aging population, increases in non-communicable diseases (heart disease, diabetes, obesity), mental health issues and challenges to healthcare access in rural areas. This study tour has been co-designed by academics at Adelaide University and Indian partners to address core learning outcomes central to pharmacy programs globally.

Offered by Adelaide University’s School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, this study tour will be based at JSS College of Pharmacy at Mysore, Karnataka and Believers Church Medical College Hospital in Thiruvalla, Kerala.

The tour aims to give students an insight into pharmacy practice and the pharmaceutical industry in India. Working in collaboration with Indian academics, clinicians and local students, participants will experience pharmacy education in India (including lectures, practicals and case presentations related to diseases and conditions significant to the Indian context), be immersed in clinical pharmacy services and integrated allied health services in hospitals, and undertake visits to Indian pharmaceutical industry and government regulatory bodies.

Find out more

Pharmacy student working in a laboratory

PhD co-supervision with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore

The PhD Co-Supervision Program enables PhD candidates from IISc Bangalore and Adelaide University to undertake a three-month research placement at the partner institution while remaining enrolled at their home university.

Students are co‑supervised by academics from both institutions, providing them with invaluable access to complementary expertise, research infrastructure and international networks.

The program also strengthens research collaboration between the two institutions, building long‑term academic relationships between supervisors, research centres and disciplines. Research topics have included dynamic modelling for industrial waste heat recovery and SME internationalisation and technology adoption in emerging economies.

Research gaps for South Asian migrant and refugee health

Adelaide University researcher, Associate Professor Zohra Lassi, has developed an evidence gap map to better understand the access to, and utilisation of, health services among South Asian migrants and refugees in Australia.

Migrants from South Asian countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, represent one of Australia's fastest-growing migrant populations.

Evidence suggests that the healthcare needs of South Asian migrants differ from other population groups due to varying risk profiles, healthcare needs, vulnerabilities and cultural understanding of health and health systems.

The project is helping inform future research, policy and healthcare strategies that improve health outcomes and service accessibility for South Asian migrant and refugee communities in Australia.

Find out more

Partner institutions

Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology

Amity University
Anna University
CEPT University
Christian Medical College Vellore
Cochin University of Science and Technology
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Manipal Academy of Higher Education
O.P. Jindal Global University
SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies
Symbiosis International University
University of Petroleum and Energy Studies
Vellore Institute of Technology
Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship

American Education Centre
Colombo International Nautical and Engineering College
Polycampus
Wisdom Business Academy

Contact us

For more information about Adelaide University’s engagement in this region, please contact Global Partnerships. 