Kolkata: West Bengal and the United Kingdom are moving to strengthen cooperation in higher education, research, innovation and skills under the India‑UK Vision 2035 framework.
At a British Council‑led meeting in Kolkata, policymakers, academics and industry leaders explored opportunities for collaboration between institutions in Bengal and the UK. Discussions covered transnational education, branch campuses, joint research, innovation networks, and student and faculty mobility.
Officials noted that such partnerships could advance the goals of India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 while aligning with Bengal’s higher education priorities.
Among others, the participants included IIT Kharagpur Director Dr Suman Chakraborty, Calcutta University Vice‑Chancellor Prof Ashutosh Ghosh, Adamas University Vice‑Chancellor Dr Suranjan Das, and industry consultant Ambarish Dasgupta.
West Bengal’s Additional Chief Secretary of Education Binod Kumar said the state was keen to build stronger institutional links with the UK. British Deputy High Commissioner Dr Andrew Fleming emphasized education as a cornerstone of India‑UK relations, highlighting scope for deeper ties between universities and innovators.
British Council officials pointed to Kolkata’s long association with the organization since 1948, noting that Vision 2035 and cultural cooperation programs could further expand educational and research exchanges.
Director of Education at British Council India Rittika Chanda Parruck said NEP 2020 had opened new doors for internationalization, with Vision 2035 offering a pathway to connect Bengal’s priorities with UK’s expertise.
The engagement signals a renewed push to make Bengal a hub for global education partnerships.