University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella said Indian students make a significant contribution to campus life and that the university plans to deepen its ties with India.
In an interview with The Times of India, Garimella said international enrollment fluctuates with global conditions, but the university’s long-term commitment to India remains strong. He cited partnerships with Indian universities and companies in areas including artificial intelligence, health care, water resources and semiconductor manufacturing.
Garimella described the changing demands on higher education as a major leadership challenge. Universities, he said, must prepare students for evolving careers, advance research and show how they serve their communities. He said Arizona had strengthened its finances and eliminated a $177 million budget deficit while keeping tuition flat for Arizona resident undergraduates for three consecutive years.
Garimella chairs an advisory subcommittee for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Genesis AI Mission. He said AI could accelerate discovery and improve teaching, while universities must help students assess the technology critically and use it ethically.
Garimella, who was born in India, earned his bachelor’s degree at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. He said his education there and in the United States shaped his commitment to critical thinking and lifelong learning. Among other initiatives, he cited free counseling services for students and an expansion of study-abroad opportunities supported by a $20 million gift from the Garcia Family Foundation.