Australia has agreed to include Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in the Building Regional Intercultural Dialogue and Growing Engagement (BRIDGE) programme run by the Australian schools in collaboration with Indian schools.
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Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani held bilateral talks with Australia's Minister for Education and Training, Christopher Pyne, ahead of the annual meeting of the Australia-India Education Council (AIEC) on Monday.
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During the meeting, the HRD Minister made the proposal to include Navodaya Vidyalays under the BRIDGE programme. The Australian Minister announced that a few Navodaya Vidyalaya would be taken up on a pilot basis for the programme before expanding to the other schools.
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The Australia-India BRIDGE school partnerships project, which is currently confined to private schools, will connect Australian and Indian schools and focus on building teacher capabilities across key learning areas, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics, information and communication technologies, intercultural understanding, values and inclusive education.
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On the issues raised by Australian Minister about recognition of degrees, Irani informed that the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) under HRD Ministry had recognized the qualifications earned by completing part of the course in Australia and part in India.
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Moreover, the degrees awarded by an Australian Institution in a third country have also been recognized provided that University is recognized under the Australian Education System.
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Irani further said that the Indian laws for recognition of degrees were based on duration of the programme and inclusion of the transcript of Pathways institution on the main degree awarded by the University, will help solve the problems for a number of Indian students, who take up these programmes.
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The two sides also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the fields of education, training and research.
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A joint communique was also issued at the end of the AIEC meeting. The communique commended the significant progress made by the Working Groups across the key areas of skills, higher education and research, student mobility and welfare, quality assurance and qualifications recognition, and welcomes the extension of collaborative activity to include engagement in the schools sector.
Both countries agreed for a total joint financial commitment of up to $ 1.0 million AUD for various activities under Educational Cooperation. The Australian Minister also announced Adam Gilchrist as the Australia-India Education Ambassador, who will help project the quality of Australian education and strengthen the bilateral education, training and research relationships.
The AIEC is a bi-national body established in 2011 as a commitment by the Education Ministers of India and Australia to guide the strategic direction of the education, training and research partnership between the two countries.
The AIEC, which is co-chaired by Education Ministers on both sides, consists of academia, industry and government and meets in conjunction with the annual Australia-India Ministerial Dialogue on Education Cooperation.