Delhi Teachers’ University partners with US-based nonprofit think tank

NEW DELHI: Delhi government-run Delhi Teachers’ University (DTU) on Tuesday signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a US-based nonprofit public policy think tank for enhancing the professional development of educators. The Delhi government aims to empower teachers with the latest research insights and equip them with the necessary skills, Education Minister Atishi said. "The collaboration between Delhi Teachers University and the RAND Corporation aims to facilitate support for strategic issues, improve teaching and research skills, and engage in joint scholarly discourse on key public policy matters," the education department said in a statement. RAND Corporation is recognized as one of the top three education think tanks globally, it said.

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The umbrella MoU marks a "first-of-its-kind collaboration" that aims to leverage DTU’s infrastructure along with RAND’s expertise in conducting rigorous, high-quality research to support teacher training and capacity building for teachers and undertake future research activities to understand the state of teachers and the teaching profession in Delhi," the education department noted. "This collaboration is a significant step forward in our endeavour to strengthen the education landscape in Delhi. This strategic alliance will undoubtedly have a transformative impact on Delhi’s education system," said Atishi who was present at the MoU signing event.

The Education Minister added that it is the vision of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that Delhi’s government-run education institutions become the best not only in India but also across the world. "In the past 7-8 years, we have undoubtedly come a long way as far as our Delhi government schools are concerned. However, our aspiration is not only to have the best schools but also to establish top-quality higher education institutions,” Atishi added. She said the signing of this MoU represents a promising milestone in Delhi's education sector, with both institutions committed to driving positive change and propelling the development of effective policies and practices in education.

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Dr. Rafiq Dossani, Senior Economist and Director of the Center for Asia Pacific Policy, RAND Corporation said, “The collaboration between Delhi Teachers University and the nonprofit think tank promises to foster a forward-looking educational ecosystem in Delhi, nurturing skilled educators equipped to shape the future of the nation.” Under the MoU, this collaboration is non-legal and non-financial, the government informed. The MoU also envisions enhancing teaching and research skills through training and engaging in joint scholarly discussions on significant public policy matters. The MoU was signed by DTU Vice-Chancellor Dhananjay Joshi and Dossani in the presence of the Education Minister.