New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS): The PLuS Alliance - a partnership between Arizona State University (ASU), King's College London (KCL) and University of New South Wales Sydney(UNSW) -- has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Pune Smart City Development Corporation Limited (PSCDCL), to advance research, education and outreach projects that address pressing urbanisation challenges to make it a smart city.

"Collaboration is key if we are to find effective solutions to the challenges of rapid urbanisation - and to the sustainable and inclusive development Pune Smart City Development Corporation aspires to," UNSW President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Jacobs said in a statement.

The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the 11th annual Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) Summit in New Delhi last week.

Under the agreement, the PluS Alliance and PSCDCL will collaborate on activities including identifying specific research projects for future collaborations, designing networking events and education programs and securing business, government and industry sponsors on projects.

Professor Jacobs also announced that UNSW would award two PhD scholarships to help "advance the principle of Pune as a living laboratory".

The research will be led by Professor Christopher Pettit and Dr Simone Leao from UNSW Built Environment, as well as academics from partner institutions.

Commenting on the development, Rubal Agarwal, Additional Municipal Commissioner and CEO, PSCDCL said that "the partnership of Pune Smart City with the PluS Alliance "is a great opportunity for Pune to benefit from the depth of expertise which would become available in solving various challenges arising out of urbanization".