Strengthening education and skills links with India

Today the Albanese Government welcomes India’s Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan to Melbourne to further strengthen the education and skills links between our two countries. 

Minister Pradhan has travelled to Australia for the second Australia-India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) meeting which will be held tomorrow in Sydney. 

Discussions will focus on Australia’s research strengths and models for industry engagement which support innovation, businesses and economic growth.

The visit will showcase researchers and research centres who are making a significant contribution to bilateral research collaboration.

We will also explore further partnerships to deliver Australia’s world-class education in India and how we can bridge skills gaps through education and training. 

The AIESC meeting coincides with Deakin and Wollongong universities opening in India this year, with more Australian universities expected to follow their lead. 

Since the first AIESC meeting last November, we have continued to build our bilateral education relationship, completed an agricultural skills program in India, continued to implement the mutual recognition mechanism, and established a new STEM research fellowships program for women.

A joint communique will be issued after the conclusion of the second AIESC meeting and will be publicly available at South Asia Resources - Department of Education, Australian Government.

While in Australia, Minister Pradhan will also address the Australian International Education Conference and visit Australian universities, a public school and an early childhood education and care centre.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

“It is an honour to welcome Minister Pradhan back to Australia for his second visit since 2022.

“This is the fourth time we have caught up here or in India in the last two years.  

“I look forward to showcasing Australia’s education system and working together to further strengthen Australia’s education links with India.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles:

“Australia and India are close mates and I’m looking forward to discussing how we can collaborate even more effectively to bridge critical skills gaps and strengthen our relationship.

“We’ll be exploring how we can work together to build the research workforces we’ll need in the future and better support industries in transition.”