5 MoUs Exchanged Between Australian And Indian HEIs to Facilitate Academic Collaboration: Dharmendra Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan co-chaired the first Australia India Education and Skill Council meeting (AIESC) with Australian Counterparts in Gandhinagar.

First Australia India Education and Skill Council (AIESC) Meeting In Gandhinagar

Source : twitter.com/dpradhanbjp

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart HE Jason Clare at the 1st Australia India Education and Skill Council meeting in Gandhinagar on Monday, November 6, 2023. During the meeting, Dharmendra Pradhan informed that 5 MoUs (Memorandums of Understanding) wwe signed between Indian and Australian HEI’s (Higher Education Institutions) to foster collaborative research in the areas of agriculture, water management, critical minerals, healthcare, AI, renewable energy and climate change, as per a PIB release. HE Brendan O'Connor, Skills & Training Minister, Australia was also present in the meeting. 

During the meeting, both the ministers reviewed bilateral cooperations and engagements in the education and skilling domain, and further agreed on strengthening the alliance between both the countries for greater mobility, employability and prosperity of people in both our countries. Underlining PM Modi’s and Australian PM, HE Anthony Albanese’s push towards strengthening knowledge bridges, he further underlined that education and skills lie as the primary area of bilateral engagements between India and Australia. 

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and HE Mr. Jason Clare, MP also addressed a joint Press Conference after the completion of the 1st Australia-India Education and Skills Council Meeting (AIECS). Secretary, Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Shri K Sanjay Murthy and Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Mr. Philip Green, OAM were also present at the Press conference. 

At the event, the ministers also welcomed the imminent opening of the campuses of University of Wollongong and Deakin University at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City). Institutional collaboration in research, between premier Indian Institutes like the IITs with top Australian Universities was also welcomed at the press conference. 

Some Of The MoUs Exchanged Between India And Australia Are As Follows:

• Innovative Research Universities consortium campus: The Innovative Research Universities (IRU) is a union of 7 public universities in Australia: Flinders University, James Cook University, La Trobe University, Murdoch University, Griffith University, University of Canberra, and Western Sydney University. The objective of the IRU'S MOU is to provide a framework for closer cooperation to foster and strengthen the Australia-India education partnership. Under the MOU, participating members will work together to explore the potential for a consortium approach to in-country delivery of degrees in India and expand in-country access to Australian higher education for Indian students.
• Deakin University and National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC): Together with India's National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC), Deakin University has come up with the 'Global Job Readiness Program' (GJRP) to address skills shortages in India. This 30-hour online program aims to upskill 15 million Indians over three years. The GJRP focuses on skills in highest demand among employers. Its mission is to produce a program to address the gap in life and workplace skills that Indian employers regularly point to as a hindrance to business and ensure the program is both affordable and accessible to the majority of India's youth.
• Deakin University and IIT Gandhinagar: Followingith the establishment of Deakin University's campus at GIFT City, the key objective through the alliance with IIT Gandhinagar is to provide support for a quality higher education and research ecosystem in the local region. The partnership is aimed towards coLlaboarative cooperation in science and innovation, mobility, faculty exchange, and joint doctoral programs. It will also promote collaboration for bilateral funding opportunities and knowledge exchange through joint grant proposals, conferences and workshops. The collaboration with Deakin will provide an opportunity for IIT Gandhinagar students to transfer into higher studies and research at Deakin University both in Australia and at GIFT City. The collaboration will enable Deakin University to broaden its engagement in India through a high-quality partnership.
• Monash University and Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad: This MoU is for collaboration on academic and research activities in the area of critical minerals and other areas of mutual interest. The MoU includes the exchange of academic materials, scholars and students and cooperative seminars, workshops and other academic activities.
• Monash University and International Center of Excellence in Mining (ICEM): This MoU aims to foster research and innovation collaboration between Monash and iCEM to support the mining and mineral development sector in India. A focus will be cooperation in reducing the impact of mining on climate change, increasing its efficiency and on enhancing capabilities in critical minerals and rare earth elements.