Scope for stronger academic ties between UK, India: McAllister

There was scope for building up stronger relationship between UK and India and new opportunities had come up in the field of academics, British Deputy High Commissioner Dominic McAllister has said.
McAllister, who visited the Manipal University on May 10, during his interaction with students and faculty at the university, spoke at length about the long association between the two countries, a release from the University said today.
"There is the historical relationship, the people relationship and educational relationship. All that means there is the capacity to build on that relationship and make it stronger. We believe that gives a new opportunity for trade between the two countries, and there will also be new opportunities in academics," he said.

He said British Prime Minister Theresa May's India visit last year was to build on that relationship and make it stronger.
Her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the trip to Bengaluru was to explore new avenues and expand international trade ties, McAllister said.
He spoke of some of the programmes and scholarships the UK universities had and the opportunities on offer, both for individuals and institutions.

McAllister also met Manipal University's senior officials, including pro-chancellor H S Ballal and vice-chancellor H Vinod Bhat, to discuss avenues for further collaboration with UK universities and catapult centres.
He told them about the new avenues for institutional partnership and funding available through the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKERI) programme.

He said the Manipal University already had partnerships with institutes in Sheffield and Lancaster and he was hopeful of more such partnerships in the future.
McAllister also spoke about the Chevening scholarships and fellowships, being awarded to outstanding emerging leaders to pursue a one-year Masters at any UK university, the release said.