The inaugural meeting of the Australia India Education and Skill Council (AIESC) took place at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar. The purpose of this meeting was to foster collaboration in education and skills training between the education ministers of India and Australia. The co-chairpersons of this meeting were Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Minister for Education and Skill Development, Jason Clare, the Australian Education Minister, and Brendan O'Connor, the Minister for Skills and Training in the Australian government.
Mr. Pradhan provided an overview of various significant achievements during the meeting. These encompassed advancements in the acknowledgment of qualifications, the formation of a collaborative working group, cooperation in skill development, fostering alliances among higher education institutions to offer joint degree programs, bolstering teacher competencies, streamlining visa procedures for Indian students and research scholars, and additional initiatives.
A total of five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were successfully agreed upon between the educational establishments from both nations. The primary objective of these MoUs is to foster the development of research partnerships across numerous sectors such as agriculture, water management, critical minerals, healthcare, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and climate change.
According to Mr. Pradhan, both countries have assessed their mutual collaboration in education and skill development and have committed to enhancing partnerships in knowledge and skill enhancement, with the goal of advancing mobility and employability. These agreements are expected to foster collaborative research initiatives and create opportunities for student and faculty exchange programs. Additionally, they aim to facilitate the introduction of dual and joint degree programs in diverse fields such as agriculture, water management, and healthcare.
