November 27, 2024

IRU in India for strategic workshops on the future of international education and research

A senior delegation from the Innovative Research Universities (IRU) is in India this week to strengthen collaboration with the Indian National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) on international education and research.

The delegation, led by IRU Chair and Vice-Chancellor of James Cook University Professor Simon Biggs, includes a series of workshops aimed at strengthening education policy efforts and encouraging research collaboration and closer cooperation between Australian and Indian universities.

“The IRU is proud to be in India working with strategic partners to help deliver on the policy priorities of both our governments, including India’s National Education Policy’s (NEP),” Professor Biggs said.

“Both India and Australia recognise that the future of education is international and are actively building new frameworks and alliances to facilitate this, through initiatives such as collaborative research, joint academic programs, and student and faculty mobility.”

“IRU member universities are leading the way in partnerships in India, in both research and education, and I look forward to discussions this week about how these relationships can become even stronger.”

IRU Academic Chair, and Deputy-Vice Chancellor (Academic) at La Trobe University, Professor Jessica Vanderlelie has been leading the discussion on sharing best practice for student support.

“Our countries share an aspiration to improve access for diverse learners with strong student support practices critical to their success,” she said. “It has been great to share our insights of what works for diverse learners and consider the nuance required for the Indian context.”

IRU International Chair, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Future Growth at La Trobe University, Dr Stacey Farraway said meeting with Indian partners is valuable for the future of IRU-India relations.

“Building strong and diverse collaborations with our Indian partners creates immense opportunities for mutual learning, growth, and innovation for the benefit of our students, staff, and communities,” she said. “It is wonderful to work with colleagues in India this week to explore further opportunities together.”

The visit also includes meetings with the Association of Indian Universities, Delhi Research Implementation and Innovation (DRIV), and EdCil Study India.

The IRU thanks the Australian High Commission and the Australian Government Department of Education for their support for this visit and for facilitating engagement with key Indian partners.