Supported by the University of Bristol Global Positioning Fund (University Strategic Partners), the University of Bristol and IIT Bombay are building a long-term collaboration in Financial Technology research, researcher mobility and research-led education.
This page documents the inaugural University of Bristol–IIT Bombay FinTech Research Collaboration, held at the University of Bristol on 1–2 July 2026. The two-day programme combined a FinTech Research Workshop with a Strategic Collaboration Roundtable, establishing shared research priorities and identifying opportunities for joint funding, researcher mobility and doctoral collaboration.
The collaboration builds on a series of UK–India strategic initiatives, including the UK–India AI Opportunities Dialogue, the University of Bristol–IIT Bombay Memorandum of Understanding, and support from the Global Positioning Fund (University Strategic Partners).
The partnership also strengthens research-led education through the University of Bristol Mumbai Enterprise Campus and the MSc Financial Technology with Data Science, creating closer links between internationally collaborative research and postgraduate education.
The collaboration programme took place in two of Goldney Hall's distinctive event spaces, set within its historic gardens in Clifton.
The Orangery hosted the FinTech Research Workshop, providing space for research presentations, posters, networking and the institutional welcome.
Explore Goldney Hall as an event and wedding venue
The Mahogany Parlour provided a more intimate setting for the Strategic Collaboration Roundtable, where senior representatives discussed joint funding, researcher mobility, doctoral collaboration and future partnership plans.
Venue: Goldney Hall Orangery
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 08:30–08:55 | Breakfast and Registration |
| 08:55 | Dr Jin Zheng – Welcome and Introduction |
| 09:00–09:10 | Opening Speech – Prof John Cartlidge, Head of FinTech, University of Bristol |
| 09:10–09:15 | Opening from IIT Bombay – Prof Mani Bhushan, Head, C-MInDS, IIT Bombay |
| 09:15–09:40 | Machine Learning Methodologies – Dr Zixing Song, Mr Henry You |
| 09:40–10:05 | DeFi and Blockchain – Dr Wei Wei, Mr Theo Constantinides |
| 10:05–10:20 | Coffee Break and Poster Session |
| 10:20–10:45 | Multi-Agent Systems and Agentic Finance – Prof John Cartlidge (AI4CI), Mr Yunhua Pei, Dr Mingxuan Yi |
| 10:45–11:25 | University of Bristol Mumbai Enterprise Campus Talks – Dr Harsh Rajesh Thakrar, Dr Kunal Rao, Dr Suneel Sarswat, Dr Rahul Gupta |
| 11:25–12:00 | IIT Bombay Talks (In Person) – Dr Radhe Srivastava, Mr Manish Dulal, Mr Keshav Kumar |
| 12:00–12:40 | Lunch and Networking |
| 12:40–12:50 | IIT Bombay Talk (In Person) – Ms Jyoti Pandey |
| 12:50–13:40 | IIT Bombay Online Talks – Dr Piyush Pandey, Dr Ved Beloskar, Dr Arunselvan Ramaswamy, Dr Sudeep Bapat |
| 13:40–13:50 | Closing Remarks and Next Steps – Dr Jin Zheng |
Venue: Goldney Hall Mahogany Parlour
Senior representatives from the University of Bristol and IIT Bombay met to develop a roadmap for long-term collaboration in FinTech research and education. Participants included institutional leaders, Principal Investigators and colleagues from both universities, with additional participation online from IIT Bombay leadership.
University of Bristol
Prof Anthony Mulholland, Head of School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology
Dr Anne Priest, Research Programme Manager, Faculty of Science and Engineering
Prof John Cartlidge
Dr Jin Zheng
Mr Theo Constantinides
University of Bristol Mumbai Enterprise Campus
Dr Harsh Rajesh Thakrar
Dr Kunal Rao
Dr Suneel Sarswat
Dr Rahul Gupta
IIT Bombay
Prof CA. Varadraj Bapat, Head of School of Management
Ms Rebecca Jane Jardin, Project Manager, International Relations Office
Dr Radhe Srivastava
Dr Piyush Pandey
During the coffee break, members of the University of Bristol Financial Engineering Lab presented recent research posters accepted at leading international conferences, providing additional opportunities for discussion and collaboration.
Prof John Cartlidge (University of Bristol)
Dr Jin Zheng (University of Bristol)
Prof John Cartlidge and Dr Jin Zheng are the Principal Investigators (PIs) of the Global Positioning Fund (University Strategic Partners) award supporting the University of Bristol–IIT Bombay FinTech Research Collaboration.
Dr Piyush Pandey (IIT Bombay)
Prof S.V.D. Nageswara Rao (IIT Bombay)
Prof John Cartlidge
Dr Jin Zheng
Dr Zixing Song
Mr Henry You
Dr Wei Wei
Mr Theo Constantinides
Mr Yunhua Pei
Dr Mingxuan Yi
Dr Harsh Rajesh Thakrar
Dr Kunal Rao
Dr Suneel Sarswat
Dr Rahul Gupta
Prof Mani Bhushan
Prof S.V.D. Nageswara Rao
Dr Radhe Srivastava
Mr Manish Dulal
Mr Keshav Kumar
Ms Jyoti Pandey
Dr Piyush Pandey
Dr Ved Beloskar
Dr Arunselvan Ramaswamy
Dr Sudeep Bapat
The collaboration builds on the UK–India AI Opportunities Dialogue, hosted by the Alan Turing Institute on behalf of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the British High Commission in India, and held at the Alan Turing Institute, British Library, London. Prof John Cartlidge and Dr Jin Zheng participated as invited experts representing the AI for FinTech and Inclusive Finance theme, helping establish relationships and research priorities that contributed to the development of the University of Bristol–IIT Bombay FinTech Research Collaboration.
The University of Bristol and IIT Bombay formalised their institutional partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding, providing the framework for long-term collaboration in research, education and academic exchange.
The Principal Investigators visited IIT Bombay to meet researchers across Engineering, Computer Science and Management. The visit established the research themes that would underpin the collaboration and led to the development of the inaugural programme held in Bristol.
The inaugural programme welcomed a delegation from IIT Bombay to the University of Bristol for a FinTech Research Workshop and Strategic Collaboration Roundtable at Goldney Hall, establishing shared priorities for joint funding, researcher mobility and doctoral collaboration.
The launch of the University of Bristol Mumbai Enterprise Campus strengthens the University's engagement with India and provides a platform for expanding research partnerships, postgraduate education and industry collaboration.
The next phase of the collaboration will bring researchers together at IIT Bombay to review progress, develop joint research proposals and strengthen long-term institutional collaboration.
The University of Bristol and IIT Bombay are now progressing the next phase of their FinTech Research Collaboration. Building on the inaugural programme, the partnership will focus on four priorities that strengthen research, education and institutional engagement between both universities.
Explore the research group, campus and postgraduate programme connected to the collaboration.
The University of Bristol research group advancing Financial Technology through financial engineering, artificial intelligence, data science, digital finance and responsible innovation.
Visit the Financial Engineering LabThe University of Bristol's campus in Mumbai, connecting research-led education with India's technology, finance and innovation ecosystem.
Explore MECAn interdisciplinary postgraduate programme combining Financial Technology, data science, artificial intelligence, cloud data engineering, software development and blockchain.
Study in BristolStudy in Mumbai
