Announcing the expansion on January 23, Deakin Vice-Chancellor Professor Jane den Hollander and TERI Director-General Dr Rajendra K. Pachauri mentioned that the TERI-Deakin Nano Biotechnology Research Centre (TD-NBC) would be housed in a new state-of-the-art facility in Gual Pahari, Gurgaon near New Delhi. TERI would also have apresence in Australia at Deakin University's campus in Geelong, 85km from Melbourne. 

Present at the event of anouncement were thew Australian High Commissioner to India, Mr Patrick Suckling, and Dr Thirumalachari Ramasami, Secretary Department of Science and Technology Government of India.

The memorandum of understanding to establish the TERI-Deakin Nano Biotechnology Centre, between the two institutes was announced in 2010.

Deakin's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jane den Hollander, said both announcements were symbolic of the strong and vibrant relationship between the two institutions and their two countries. "It is a tremendous privilege for me to be here in India to announce the next step in the wonderful partnership between Deakin University in Australia and TERI," Prof Hollander said.

" Two years ago, I had the honour of celebrating the inauguration of that centre and at that time I recall saying that the Centre was undertaking research into global issues such as food security for a growing population, sustainable agricultural practices and environmental sustainability.Today, the need for solutions to those problems is as pressing as ever and it is a great pleasure to announce measures that will take our partnership - and research - to a new level."

"Deakin was the first university in the world to set up an office in India, and today's announcement is a strong and tangible sign that our engagement and partnership, across education, industry and international border, is growing from strength to strength."

TERI Director-General and Chairman of Nobel Peace Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Dr R.K. Pachauri said, "The frontiers of scientific knowledge are most effectively achieved through collaboration work between researchers and research organizations from different parts of the world with complementary strengths. The TERI Deakin Nanotechnology Centre represents such an initiative in an area which holds great promise for the progress of human society".

Dr Alok Adhloeya, Director, Biotechnology and Bioresources said "The TERI Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre is getting into the new phase to conduct next generation research where more engaging global collaboration will be achieved".

Having the complete facility under the one roof will significantly improve the research output and increase our engagement and visibility with industry, other research communities, potential donors and national and international stakeholders.

This new chapter for the Centre will continue to enable it to produce the high-end research capable of providing solutions to the world's most critical problems.

Currently, TD-NBC is home to 19 full-time research scientists, project associates and technicians with varied expertise as well as 13 PhD students. The new facility will be built on a one-hectare site and comprise an industry incubation centre. The centre has secured 10 research projects with additional contribution of 1.3 million AUD which fully meets, or even exceeds the capacity of the current facility.

With almost equal investments from TERI and Deakin equating to around AUD $10 million, the new infrastructure will be operational by 2015, with the capacity to accommodate the envisaged 100-plus researchers, including 50 PhD students, co-supervised by Deakin and TERI faculties.

In addition to the Centre's expansion in India, Dr Pachauri and Professor Jane den Hollander also announced the first presence of TERI in Australia.

Professor Jane den Hollander welcomed the move and said Deakin could not be more delighted to be welcoming TERI to Australia in general, and Geelong in particular.

"At Deakin we are strongly committed to creating job opportunities through new partnerships between education, research and industry," she said.

"Expanding our partnership with TERI in our home State of Victoria will enable us to develop the partnerships and scientific capacity that will benefit the people of India and Australia alike."