IIT Madras launches IITM Global Research Foundation to become world’s first multinational university

Exam-focused facts from the 7 January 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

IIT Madras launched the IITM Global Research Foundation aimed at positioning the institute as the world’s first multinational university.
The initiative will operate through four pillars: technology transfer to global markets, joint international research projects, overseas business opportunities for IIT Madras startups, and attracting foreign investment into the institute’s innovation ecosystem.
Initial centres will be set up in the US, Dubai, Malaysia and Germany, with plans for expansion.