India, Australia collaborate on education sector

India has collaborated with the Australian government, universities and vocational education trainers following a two-day mission that has delivered key advancements on educational issues.
Simon Birmingham, Australia's Minister for Education and Training, today said their government has made important progress on key education issues following meetings and discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and Skill Development Minister Pratap Rudy.
"India represents a significant opportunity for both Australian educators and students which is why the commitments we have secured will continue to deliver on what is a strategically important relationship for both countries and our respective education sectors," Birmingham said.

"Ministers Javadekar and Rudy both recognise the quality of Australian education and have instructed Indian officials to work on helping our universities and training providers to establish themselves in the local market," he said.
"Prime Ministers Turnbull and Modi have also discussed the importance of our two-way trade on education at length in their meetings and I expect the 130 Australian university and training delegates who have travelled to India will continue to work hard to expand that relationship at the institutional and people-to-people levels," Birmingham said.
"I am pleased that Minister Rudy has endorsed the value of Australian 'train the trainer' courses being delivered by Australian providers. A particular highlight of my trip has been to see firsthand the new Indian Energy Research Institute and Deakin University's collaboration on a Nanobiotechnology Research Centre in New Delhi," he added.

Meanwhile, a 27-member Group of Eight (Go8) including five Vice Chancellors, their deputies, deans and researchers, which is currently visiting India interacted with VCs, deans, academics and researchers of India's leading universities and research institutions at the colloquium.
The colloquium focused on the areas including PhDs' development in India and role played by PhDs as an enabler of Indian research and development, the demand for PhDs from Indian industry and the disciplines and capabilities of PhDs needed by Indian industry and the strategies for ensuring the mobility and joint-training of a PhD qualified workforce between India and Australia.