Dharmendra Pradhan explores school twinning, branch campuses during Australia visit

NEW DELHI: During his visit to Australia for the second Australia India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) meeting, union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan spoke at the Australian International Education Conference and visited a primary school in Melbourne. He also met the Australian education minister Jason Clare and discussed the aspects of internationalization, university linkages, research, skilling, student exchange among others. The minister will be addressing the AIESC meeting tomorrow and will pay a visit to a childhood care centre.

“Held productive discussions about shared priorities in early childhood care, capacity building of teachers and explored the possibility of twinning schools. Building on strong institutional linkages between Indian and Australian higher education institutions, we agreed to further strengthen our partnership in critical and emerging technologies and also discussed possibility of opening branch campuses of Australian universities in India,” the minister said in a post on X.

Addressing the conference, Pradhan highlighted how the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has revolutionized India’s educational landscape, transforming it into a hub of potential. He emphasized the enduring ties between India and Australia and the significant progress made in education cooperation driven by NEP. The opening of Australian university campuses in India marks just the beginning—there is so much more to achieve, he said.

“Together, we can advance knowledge, leverage tech for global challenges, and create endless opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship for our students,” he added.

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Second AIESC meet

The second AIESC meeting scheduled for tomorrow, in Sydney, will witness discussions centered on Australia’s research strengths and industry engagement models that foster innovation, support businesses, and drive economic growth.

The visit aims to highlight researchers and research centers contributing significantly to bilateral research collaboration. The ministers will also explore potential partnerships to enhance Australia’s education in India, addressing skills gaps through targeted education and training initiatives.

The meeting aligns with the recent openings of Deakin and Wollongong universities in India, with additional Australian universities anticipated to follow suit.

Since the inaugural AIESC meeting last November, Australia strengthened bilateral education relationship, successfully implemented an agricultural skills programme in India, advanced the mutual recognition mechanism, and launched a new STEM research fellowships program for women.

“It is an honour to welcome Minister Pradhan back to Australia for his second visit since 2022. This is the fourth time we have caught up here or in India in the last two years. I look forward to showcasing Australia’s education system and working together to further strengthen Australia’s education links with India,” said Clare in an official statement.

Minister for skills and training Andrew Giles said, “Australia and India are close mates and I’m looking forward to discussing how we can collaborate even more effectively to bridge critical skills gaps and strengthen our relationship. We’ll be exploring how we can work together to build the research workforces we’ll need in the future and better support industries in transition.”