India: visit by Minister of State for universities, science and cities
Published 21 November 2014
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0.1 This publication was archived on 5 August 2016.
This article is no longer current. Please refer to Overseas Business Risk - India.
0.2 Summary
Minister secures UK partnership on education, science, research and innovation. These are among Modi’s highest priorities and the UK’s greatest strengths, so there are massive opportunities.
0.3 Detail
Dr Greg Clark visited Delhi on 12-14 November, accompanied by the FCO Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Robin Grimes, and a large delegation from the education, science, research and innovation sectors. He met Education Minister Smriti Irani and the new Science Minister, Harsh Vardhan; gave the keynote address at a major conference on Higher Education; and another at the LSE Urban Age Conference.
Context
India’s education and innovation needs are massive. India has ambitious plans to build 800 new universities with 40 million new places, to go from zero to five universities in the world’s top 200, to give 500 million young Indians modern workplace skills, and to build 100 new smart cities. Dr Clark came to demonstrate how the UK can help transform India in all of these areas.
Science
Dr Clark signed an MoU formalising the Newton-Bhabha Fund, a new programme of research and innovation cooperation, with India committed to matching the UK’s £50 million investment over the next 5 years. The Fund will focus on the grand challenges of sustainable cities and urbanisation, public health, and food, water and energy.
The UK Research Councils – whose jointly-funded research programmes with India have grown from £1m to £150m since they opened in India six years ago - agreed new programmes including joint research centres in cancer biology, neuroscience, anti-microbial resistance and renewable energy, women and child health, and mental health and substance abuse.
The UK’s National Academies, British Council and Indian partners will offer a series of exchanges and fellowships to develop the next generation of researchers, including training in taking innovations to market. It was agreed that the UK would be the country partner for India’s annual Technology Summit in 2015.
Education
Dr Clark secured Indian commitment to the third phase of the flagship UK India Education and Research Initiative. This will support partnerships between institutions, including Sector Skills Councils and Community Colleges. Student exchanges will expand hugely under the British Council’s “Generation UK India” initiative to bring 25,000 UK students to India over 5 years. We will also boost exchange of academics, with UK universities accepting Modi’s invitation to send visiting lecturers to Indian universities. There will also be greater collaboration on online platforms and virtual courses.
Dr Clark noted the four-fold increase in our Chevening Scholarship Programme in India, making it the largest in the world; our 750 GREAT Awards, and our commitment to a user-friendly visa process (84% of Indian student visa applications were successful in 2013), including the announcement of a new UK Ministerial Working Group to iron out any wrinkles. IWe hosted a “UK Education is GREAT” reception launching the annual roadshow of UK universities (over 60 of them) seeking Indian students.
On the long-running issue of qualifications recognition, all the UK universities in the delegation confirmed that they accepted the main Indian high school certificates for applications, and further work was agreed to strengthen this reassurance.
0.4 Disclaimer
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