UPES, one of Dehradun’s leading universities, has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research in Switzerland. According to an official announcement, this collaborative initiative aims to reshape the landscape of particle physics research, with UPES playing an essential part in the Future Circular Collider (FCC) project, the successor to CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, renowned as the world’s most powerful particle accelerator.
The university will actively contribute to developing software and particle detectors for the FCC project as part of this partnership. Renowned UPES researchers will lead the initiative. The innovative FCC project will be housed in a circular tunnel 100-400 metres beneath the France-Switzerland border, spanning 91 kilometres between the two countries. Per the statement, the project also comprises a comprehensive feasibility study that evaluates geological, technical, environmental, and administrative aspects of the tunnel and its surface areas.
UPES, founded in 2003, envisions itself as a global institution dedicated to developing professionally competent talent that contributes to nation-building. It offers specialized undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Engineering, Management, Law, Health Sciences, Design, Modern Media and Computer Sciences. The faculty at UPES comprises eminent Chevening, Commonwealth, and Fulbright Nehru scholars, along with international faculty from diverse socio-cultural settings.
The cooperation hopes to offer students and faculty members unprecedented opportunities to participate in cutting-edge research, gain hands-on experience in particle physics, and collaborate with the global scientific community at CERN. It also emphasises both institutions’ shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration, which aligns with the university’s significant contributions to other prominent particle physics projects such as ‘Belle’ and ‘Belle II,’ according to the statement.
Furthermore, UPES has also established the Belle II GRID Computing Centre on its campus. The ‘Belle II’ project is an international endeavour in an underground facility at KEK (High Energy Accelerator Research Organisation) in Japan. Through this initiative, the university has joined the GRID Computing Club, collaborating with institutions from the USA, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Russia, Japan, Korea, Australia and more. This laboratory focuses on integrating and distributing GRID technology, connecting computing resources globally and fostering innovation in scientific research.
UPES has formed unique partnerships with industry leaders such as IBM, Microsoft, Xebia, Tata Cisco, Tata Power, Infosys, Qlik, HPCL, Surana & Surana International Attorneys, and Wockhardt, providing students a distinct advantage. It also established academic alliances with universities worldwide, including Berkeley Global, the University of Law in the United Kingdom, Polytech Nantes, and ECE Paris. International students are welcome at the institute through various study options such as Semester Exchange, Year Exchange, Projects, and Internships.
CERN physicists and engineers study the fundamental constituents of matter – fundamental particles – using the world’s largest and most complex scientific instruments. Subatomic particles are made to collide at nearly the speed of light. The process informs the platform about how the particles interact and provides insights into fundamental natural laws. It aims to expand human knowledge by delving into the smallest building blocks of its universe. Its instruments are purpose-built particle accelerators and detectors. Accelerators boost particle beams to high energies before they collide with each other or stationary targets. Detectors monitor and record the outcomes of these collisions.
