AIEC2024: Pradhan Highlights NEP, Explores Collaborations with Australian Universities

The Minister emphasized the role of education in addressing global challenges, leveraging technology, and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, delivered a keynote speech at the Australian International Education Conference in Melbourne, reaffirming the strong and evolving partnership between India and Australia in the education sector. Shri Pradhan, accompanied by a high-level Indian delegation, held a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart, Mr. Jason Clare MP, to discuss key areas of cooperation in education.

In his address, Shri Pradhan praised the historic and growing ties between the two nations, highlighting the potential for further collaboration under the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Mr. Anthony Albanese. He emphasized the importance of education in preparing students for the challenges of the 4th Industrial Revolution, noting that India's National Education Policy (NEP) focuses on digital literacy, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary studies.

Shri Pradhan stressed that cooperation in education is central to the India-Australia relationship. He outlined India's ambition to transform its education system into a competency-based model, as envisioned in NEP 2020. The establishment of Australian university campuses in India, he said, marks the beginning of deeper educational collaborations, with much more potential to be unlocked.

The Minister emphasized the role of education in addressing global challenges, leveraging technology, and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. He reaffirmed India’s commitment to being a trusted partner in human-centric development, aiming to nurture global citizens through education.

Australian Education Minister Jason Clare MP praised India’s education system, projecting that by 2035, one in four global university graduates will come from India. He acknowledged the longstanding presence of Australian institutions like Deakin University in India and praised the growing educational ties, including the work of Australian universities exploring consortium campuses in India.

During his visit, Shri Pradhan also met with Australian leaders, including Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Tim Watts MP and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan MP. They discussed strengthening institutional links between universities in Victoria and India, and expanding early childhood education and teacher training collaborations.

Shri Pradhan toured several institutions, including South Melbourne Primary School, where he explored innovative early childhood education practices. He also visited the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) to examine their med-tech and innovation facilities, and Monash University, which has long welcomed Indian students. Both institutions showcased their cutting-edge research and innovation ecosystems, with opportunities for collaboration with Indian universities to equip students with future-ready skills.

The visit, part of Shri Pradhan’s Australia tour from October 22 to 26, 2024, is aimed at fostering deeper cooperation in education, innovation, and research. Earlier in the week, Shri Pradhan visited Singapore, where he held high-level meetings to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in skill-based education and research.