Dharmendra Pradhan, Australian education minister to sign agreement on mutual recognition of qualifications

NEW DELHI: Australian Education Minister Jason Clare on Tuesday said he will sign the "broadest and most favourable recognition agreement" to enhance student mobility with his Indian counterpart Dharmendra Pradhan. Clare is on a visit to India from February 28 to March 3. He is leading a delegation of Australian higher education leaders to promote institutional partnerships and boost collaboration between the two countries.

"This week I will lead a delegation of Australian higher education leaders to India to promote our institutional partnerships and boost collaboration between our two countries. During this week's visit, Minister Pradhan and I will sign the Mechanism for the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications which locks in the rules for mutual recognition to access education in both our countries," he said in a statement.

"This will be the broadest and most favourable recognition agreement India has signed with another country and will enhance student mobility between both countries," Clare added.

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His visit builds on Dharmendra Pradhan's trip to Australia last year. "The Modi government's National Education Policy has a target to get 50 per cent of young Indians into higher education and vocational education by 2035. That's nation changing for India, and a genuine opportunity for Australian education providers to do more to collaborate with India," Clare said.

The delegation will comprise Australian vice-chancellors and other higher-education leaders, including those representing institutions such as the University of Queensland, RMIT University, Australian National University, University of Sydney La Trobe University, University of Wollongong, Western Sydney University, Central Queensland University, University of NSW, University of South Australia and the Charles Darwin University.

University of Wollongong's global brand ambassador and former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist will also join the delegation. "The visit provides an important opportunity for Australian universities to showcase new partnerships and plans which they can deliver in India, including opportunities for joint degrees and campuses," the statement said. This comes ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to India next month.