Australia, India collaborate for new education programme

Australia will enable 29 higher educational institutions to send 300 students to India under a new education programme in collaboration with New Delhi, an official statement said Saturday.

The programme was finalised during a meeting between Human Resource Development Minister M.M. Pallam Raju and Australian Minister for Higher Education Kim Carr at the annual Australia-India Ministerial Dialogue on Education Cooperation held in Sydney Saturday, a joint statement said.

In the current year, Australia will support 29 higher educational institutions to send 300 students to India for a study experience under the new Asia-bound programme, said Carr.

Raju announced an opportunity for Australian students to visit India for short-term visits through the 'Connect to India' programme.

A decision to grant additional funds to the tune of $10 million from the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) for collaborative research projects was also taken at the meeting.

The $64 million AISRF has already supported more than 100 projects and workshops, involving more than 80 leading Australian and Indian universities and research institutions, since it began.

The Indian government supports Indian teams' participation in these joint projects.

While discussing the flourishing Australia-India knowledge partnership, the ministers acknowledged education as a central pillar to the broader strategic partnership between India and Australia.

Both ministers also expressed their commitment to enhance student mobility between their countries.