University signs MoU with Indian Institute for Creative Technologies

Posted on Monday 16 June 2025

Signed by Dr Vishwas Deoskar, CEO of IICT, and the University of York’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Charlie Jeffery, the agreement spans a five-year term and aims to enhance the academic and professional learning in the creative industries.

IICT is a new institution modelled after the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) to serve the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Realty sectors.

The MoU was signed on the same day that the University of York was granted a licence to open a campus in Mumbai in 2026. Research and teaching in the creative industries is a key part of the plans for the development of the University of York Mumbai campus, and coincides with the University introducing the potential for new projects with partners in India at CoStar Live Lab, part of a £75.6m UK national network of laboratories that are developing new ideas and technologies to ensure the UK stays at the cutting edge of the creative industries. 

The lab focuses on applying new virtual production technology to live events and how the latest developments can be used to ensure the UK has the skills and infrastructure to stay on the cutting edge of this type of technology.

Shared vision

Speaking on the occasion of the MoU signing, Dr Vishwas Deoskar, CEO of IICT, said: “This MoU represents not just an academic partnership but a shared vision for the future of creative education. We are thrilled to collaborate with an institution of York’s global repute. Together, we aim to empower Indian students with international exposure and transformative opportunities in creative technologies.”

Virtual production allows filmmakers and theatre directors to create large-scale digitally-generated environments that performers can interact with in real-time using LED panels, as a faster and less expensive alternative to green screens. The technology has been used to great success in the ABBA Voyage live concert at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London and on Disney’s hit show The Mandalorian. 

The UK and India have recently deepened their cultural ties through a new bilateral Cultural Cooperation Agreement, aiming to boost collaboration between British and Indian creative businesses and cultural institutions. This agreement opens avenues for increased UK creative exports to India and fosters partnerships in areas like film, music, and digital technologies.

Significant growth

Professor Gavin Kearney, Co-Director of CoStar Live Lab at the University of York, said: “India's creative economy is experiencing significant growth, with Mumbai at its epicentre - the home of one of the world’s most influential and prolific film industries. The establishment of the IICT reflects India’s ambition to lead not only in the creation of world-class content, but also in the development of the technologies that will power the next generation of storytelling.

“CoSTAR's expertise in areas like virtual production and immersive media aligns well with IICT's objectives. Collaborating with Indian institutions and industry leaders presents an opportunity to co-develop technologies that can revolutionise storytelling and audience engagement on a global scale.”

At CoSTAR Live Lab, researchers are developing advanced workflows that enable multiple performers in different physical locations to rehearse, interact, and perform together in real time. Using ultra-low latency networks, spatial audio, and synchronised visual environments, they are developing platforms that support applications ranging from remote music rehearsals and motion-captured ensemble performance to distributed virtual production workflows.

Dynamic and sustainable

Professor Kearney added: “This innovation offers exciting opportunities for global collaboration - whether enabling actors, directors, and musicians across continents to co-create seamlessly, or opening up new models for hybrid production that blend live and virtual elements. 

“It has direct relevance to India’s world-leading music and film industries, especially in enabling large-scale, distributed creative teams to work together in more dynamic and sustainable ways.”