5X rise in partnerships between Australian, Indian higher educational institutions since 2007: Report | Ahmedabad News

It is essential for Australian universities to develop a local footprint in India if they are to successfully build educational partnerships with strong linkages in India, the report underlines. Australian and Indian higher education institutions already share more than 400 partnerships, it further highlights.

Deakin University has been labelled as a major success story for its Indian footprint. Started in 1994, Deakin Univesity now has 57 partnerships with Indian higher education institutions and offers a programme that allows Indian PhD students to jointly study in Australia and India, while also working with industry partners. It is also the first Australian university to set up its independent campus in GIFT City Gandhinagar.

“Establishing a local office in India and engaging local staff there can deliver great results to universities trying to build and maintain strong connections with academic researchers and students,” Australia India Institute chief executive Lisa Singh said.

The report funded by the Australian Federal Education Department studied the success of Australian educational institutions in engaging and navigating the Indian market and found that organisations with locally-engaged staff and offices in India have been most successful in building deep and abiding relationships in research and innovation and student mobility.

Australian universities are also exploring joint degree programmes with their Indian counterparts. The University of Melbourne’s new dual degree program with Shoolini University Solan, Himachal Pradesh aims to create diverse education pathways for incoming Indian students as well as build the capacity of its Indian partners, the report stated. It found that it is crucial for Australian universities to have an on-the-ground presence to improve market intelligence and build Indian literacy.

The report also revealed education ties with India are a gateway to cutting-edge research and innovation in key strategic areas of mutual importance, building a job-ready workforce responsive to both countries’ pressing skill needs. “Two-way mobility of students between Australia and India is another growth area for universities. The more these institutions do to build those linkages, the better,” Singh said.