Bengaluru: Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan attended the second Australia-India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) meeting in Sydney, Australia on Thursday.
Addressing the event, 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.
He also said that education and skills would be the driving force for building economic prosperity for India and Australia. The next AIESC meeting will be held in India in 2025, Pradhan informed.
The ministers from both the nations 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.
During the event, 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.
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.
Pradhan is visiting Australia from 22 to 26 October 2024 as the two nations explore critical areas of mutual interest in education.
Earlier this week from 20-21 October, 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.