Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, on her maiden visit to China, broached the idea of establishing a consortium of higher educational institutions as part of greater collaboration between India and China besides mutual recognition of academic degrees.
Irani, 39, arrived in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao on May 22 to take part in the 'International Conference on ICT and Post-2015 Education' organised by the Chinese Government and UNESCO on a four-day visit.
She held talks with top Chinese officials and discussed steps to follow up on agreements signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit here.
The Minister held talks with her Chinese counterpart Yang Guiren on mutual recognition of academic degrees, collaboration in teacher's training besides establishing a consortium of higher educational institutions, an Indian Embassy press release here said.
The collaboration in teachers training helps both the countries to share their vast experiences in education, Irani told PTI.
The discussions focussed on establishing a consortium of higher educational institutions, and sharing experiences on their respective systems for ranking universities, it said.
Her talks have a significance as about 13,000 Indian students currently study in China, mostly medicine. Mutual recognition of universities were expected to pave the way for more educational exchanges.
The Indian medical students have to pass Medical Council of India examination to qualify to practice in India.
Besides Yang, Irani also held talks with Chinese Vice Education Ministers Liu Limin and Du Zhanyuan.
Her talks focussed on the implementation of the new Educational Exchange Programme (EEP) signed during Modi's visiti during which the two sides also agreed to expand cooperation to newer areas.
One MoU dealt with bilateral cooperation in the field of Vocational Education and Skill Development between India and China. Under the framework of the MoU, India and China agreed to work towards capacity development.
