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India and Australia strengthened cooperation in education, skills and research at the 3rd AIESC meeting, approving UNSW’s India campus, new research projects and key MoUs.
3rd Australia-India Education and Skills Council meeting (AIESC) held in New Delhi on Monday.
India and Australia on Monday renewed their commitment to expand cooperation in education, research, and skill development at the 3rd meeting of the Australia-India Education and Skills Council (AIESC), held in New Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of State Jayant Chaudhary along with Australian Education Minister Jason Clare and Skills Minister Andrew Giles.
Senior officials, representatives of Indian ministries, and top Australian university leaders were also present. The council reviewed progress made since its previous meeting, including student mobility, joint programmes and qualification recognition.
UNSW To Open Campus In India
A key highlight of the event was the Letter of Intent handed over to the University of New South Wales (UNSW), which ranks among the top 20 global universities. The approval will pave the way for UNSW to set up a campus under the UGC’s new rules for foreign universities in India.
This is the fifth Australian institution to receive approval this year after La Trobe University, Victoria University, Western Sydney University and the University of Western Australia. With this, India now has seven Australian universities with eight proposed campuses.
Australia praised India’s ongoing reforms that allow foreign institutions to open campuses, saying it will help Indian students access quality global education without moving abroad.
10 New Joint Research Projects Approved
Under the SPARC initiative, India has sanctioned Rs 9.84 crore for 10 new collaborative research projects with leading Australian universities. These projects will cover areas such as artificial intelligence, advanced computing, energy transition, MedTech, climate studies, smart mobility and space technology.
So far, 129 Indo-Australian research projects have been supported under SPARC.
Focus On School Education & Teacher Training
The two countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in early childhood education and teacher development. A Letter of Intent was signed to align CBSE’s Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) curriculum with Australia’s Certificate III qualification.
There was also discussion on integrating sports into school and higher education, with both sides exploring tie-ups around sports-focused programmes and events. India also expressed interest in establishing a CBSE-affiliated school in Australia.
Jayant Chaudhary pointed out that sectors like agriculture already have functioning mobility pathways, and said similar models will now be extended to emerging fields like AI, advanced materials and digital technologies.
ALSO READ: ‘Towards Stronger Knowledge Partnership’: Top Australian University To Open Campus In India
MoUs Signed Across Priority Sectors
Several institutions formalised partnerships during the meeting, including:
- James Cook University with the Odisha government to set up a marine ecological research centre
- Deakin University with CII for nationwide job-readiness training
- Monash University with Uttar Pradesh to create a teacher training academy
- IIM Mumbai and IIT-Dhanbad with the University of Western Australia for mining-related programmes
- IIT Roorkee and Deakin to create a centre for disaster resilience
- Western Sydney University with Andhra Pradesh for agricultural innovation
The ministers agreed to set clear timelines for deliverables before the next AIESC meeting, which Australia will host.
Dharmendra Pradhan stated that both nations aim to prepare students for future-oriented sectors, including AI, semiconductors, sustainability, and healthcare. He urged all stakeholders to convert Monday’s discussions into real-world outcomes.
Australian Minister Jason Clare said the partnership is mutually beneficial, adding, “This is a win-win. It is good for Australia and it is good for India.”
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. December 09, 2025, 08:34 IST
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