Union Minister : AIESC meeting has emerged as a key platform for building stronger knowledge bridges

Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, attended the 2nd Australia-India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) meeting in Sydney, Australia today alongside Minister for Education, Government of Australia, Mr. Jason Clare MP and Minister for Skills and Training, Government of Australia, Mr. Andrew Giles MP.

Addressing the event, Shri Pradhan emphasized that the AIESC meeting has become a crucial platform for strengthening knowledge bridges, advancing shared priorities in education and skills development, breaking new ground, and envisioning a brighter future for Australia and India.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said that education and skills will be the driving force for building economic prosperity for India and Australia and also forging lasting connections between our people and institutions.

The Ministers held discussions focused on forecasting future workforce, education needs, bridging skill gaps through education and training, and strengthening research collaboration between the two countries’ higher education institutions. He hoped that AIESC would further strengthen the bilateral partnership between Australia and India at all levels of education: school, skills and higher education. He also informed that the next AIESC meeting will be in India in 2025.

Earlier in the day Shri Pradhan interacted with high level administrators from Innovative Research Universities (IRU) – a coalition of Universities in Australia, where he engaged in enriching discussions with its members. During his visit, he learned about their collaborative approaches to education delivery and efforts to facilitate impactful research for society. The Minister also explored the scope for potential collaborations between the IRU and Indian higher education institutions to advance the education agenda. The IRU is a group of Australian universities committed to inclusive excellence in education and research that advances the communities.

In a significant move to enhance bilateral cooperation in the education sector, Shri Pradhan is visiting Australia from 22 to 26 October 2024. The visit is expected to foster collaboration, participation, and synergy in critical areas of mutual interest in education. Earlier this week from 20-21 October, Shri Pradhan visited Singapore and met the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Education Minister and other dignitaries to expand bilateral cooperation in skill-based education and research.