Leena will be the most senior representative of the university group in the region and will lead the hub’s
opening and the development of new collaborations.
The India Hub, which will open towards the end of this year, will be the sixth in Coventry University
Group’s network of Global Hubs, joining those in Brussels, Dubai, Africa, China and Singapore.
The global hubs act as Coventry University Group’s embassies, serving key regions and developing
collaborative relationships that further its work as an economic development organisation for
governments and public and private sector organisations.
India is a key market for the Group, which already recruits thousands of Indian students every year to its
campuses in Coventry and London. India’s large and skilled talent pool, young population and thriving
research sector make the country ideal for the Group’s collaborative working approach. Leena has extensive experience in facilitating bilateral and multilateral higher education, science and
innovation collaborations, and was previously Senior Advisor at the Office of Science and Innovation
based at Embassy of Sweden in New Delhi.
Leena brings with her a wealth of experience from her time working for the Australian Government as
Senior Advisor to the Australian Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, where she successfully
managed the Australia India Strategic Research Fund.
She has also worked extensively with the UK science and innovation community and in her role as Senior
Advisor to the UK Science and Innovation Network for the British High Commission, Leena led on various innovation projects including the launch of India-UK Industrial research and development programme.
Additionally, in her tenure as Head- Newton fund at British Council India, she established the Newton-
Bhabha PhD placements and Newton-Bhabha Researcher Links Workshops.
“I feel privileged to take on this role at such an exciting time for UK-India bilateral relationship.
The India Hub will pioneer strategic collaborations between Indian higher education institutes and
Coventry University Group, leading to academic and research excellence that will be highly beneficial for
both countries.
I am delighted to have been appointed as the Regional Managing Director, and immensely proud to lead
the India Hub forward from office launch to delivering joint projects centred around the university’s
mission of creating better futures.”
Leena Arora Kukreja, newly appointed Regional Managing Director of Coventry University Group’s India
Hub “We are delighted to welcome Leena as our Regional Managing Director of the India Hub. Her years of experience, knowledge, talent and extensive network of private and public sector contacts will help us
develop deeper relationships with organisations in India, working collaboratively on research, education
and innovation.
Coventry University Group’s India Hub will not only establish partnerships in research, education and
enterprise and innovation services but it will also house the existing admissions team, which is currently
based in Delhi.”
Coventry University Group Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Latham CBE.