The University of Sydney’s Conservatorium of Music has been awarded a AUD 180,000 Maitri Grant to establish a new music education partnership with the Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts (SaPa).
The Maitri Grants Program is a flagship Australian Government initiative designed to strengthen ties between Australia and India. Administered by the Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR), the multi-million dollar program funds projects across business literacy, cultural connections, education, and policy dialogue
Announced on 9 July, the project is among 41 initiatives supported under the 2026 Maitri Grants Program, which seeks to strengthen cultural, education and research ties between the two countries.
The partnership will focus on creating opportunities for students, educators and communities through music education, while introducing Indian music into the University of Sydney’s curriculum and fostering greater collaboration between artists from both countries.
Professor Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney, said the initiative would help extend the Conservatorium’s engagement with Indian-Australian communities across Sydney.
Bindu Subramaniam, Co-Founder and CEO of SaPa, said the partnership marks a step towards integrating Indian music into Australia’s higher education system and expanding cultural exchange between the two countries.
Ambi Subramaniam, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of SaPa, said the collaboration would create new opportunities for artists from different musical traditions to study Indian music and explore cross-cultural approaches to performance, composition and teaching.
Commenting on the wider programme, Australia’s Minister for Education Jason Clare said the initiative would create new opportunities for students and researchers in both countries while bringing Australian higher education closer to Indian learners.
