# IIT Kanpur Signs MoU with the University of Manitoba to Strengthen Global Public Health Collaboration

**Source**: https://www.iitk.ac.in/oir/news/mou-with-university-of-manitoba
**Parent**: https://www.iitk.ac.in/oir/

### IIT Kanpur Signs MoU with the University of Manitoba to Strengthen Global Public Health Collaboration

Details
:   Category: [News](https://www.iitk.ac.in/oir/news)
:   Published: 13 February 2026

On **10 February 2026**, IIT Kanpur welcomed a delegation from the University of Manitoba, Canada. The delegation was led by **Dr. Michael Benarroch**, President and Vice-Chancellor. The team included **Dr. Peter Nickerson**, Dean, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences; **Dr. Josée G. Lavoie**, Dean, College of Community and Global Health; **Dr. James Blanchard**, Executive Director, Institute for Global Public Health; and **Dr. Marissa Becker**, Director of Technical Collaborations, Institute for Global Public Health.

During the visit, an MoU was formally signed by **Prof. Manindra Agrawal**, Director, IIT Kanpur, and **Dr. Michael Benarroch**, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Manitoba. The MoU aims to strengthen academic and research collaboration between the two institutions, especially in global public health and Deep-Tech areas. **Prof. Bushra Ateeq**, Dean of International Relations, and **Prof. Deepu Philip**, Professor-in-Charge, SIIC, also shared insights about IIT Kanpur’s academics and innovation ecosystem.

The discussions were joined by **Dr. Vasanthakumar Namasivayam** (Ex-IAS) and **Shri Vikas Gothalwa**l (Ex-IAS) from the Government of Uttar Pradesh. SIIC startups presented their health-tech innovations and received valuable feedback. The visit and MoU signing mark an important step towards a strong and long-term international partnership.