New Delhi, December 8 (ANI) — India and Australia held wide-ranging talks in New Delhi to deepen cooperation in education, skills and research. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met Australian counterparts Jason Clare and Julian Hill to review and plan collaboration across the full spectrum “from pre-school to PhD.”
Both sides stressed the importance of fostering critical thinking and preparing students for an AI-driven future. The ministers agreed on commitments to strengthen partnerships between higher education institutions, provide joint research funding in strategic areas, and create smoother pathways for two-way student and academic mobility.
The discussions also looked ahead to the 3rd Australia-India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) meeting, intended to help transform India’s educational landscape and identify shared opportunities. On the sidelines of the New Delhi meeting, Pradhan and Clare exchanged a Letter of Intent with the University of New South Wales (UNSW), confirming that the top-ranked Australian university will establish a campus in India. Pradhan noted UNSW’s QS World University Ranking among the global top 20 and welcomed the move as a significant step for India’s education ecosystem.
The AIESC session reviewed ongoing projects and explored new cooperation areas in higher education, skills development and research. The Indian delegation was led by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Skill Development Minister Jayant Chaudhary; the Australian delegation included Education Minister Jason Clare, Immigration and Citizenship Minister Andrew Giles, and Assistant Minister Julian Hill. (ANI)
