Opportune time for India, US collaboration: American delegation hails NEP 2020
The delegation from the Institute of International Education is on a seven-day visit to India to explore and expand bilateral partnerships with higher education institutions between the two countries
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is ambitious and there has never been a more opportune time for higher education institutions in both India and the United States to collaborate to expand the higher education system, senior officials from a US delegation said on Tuesday.
The delegation from the Institute of International Education (IIE), comprising 31 provosts, vice provosts, deans, and other leaders from 17 different higher education institutions across the United States, is on a seven-day visit to India to explore and expand bilateral partnerships with higher education institutions between the two countries.
The visit is crucial as it is happening at a time when India is focusing on expanding its higher education system globally and thriving to become a global education hub.
Jason Czyz, co-president and director of grants and contracts at IIE, said that NEP 2020 is ambitious and not every country has its own national policy. “So, it’s wonderful that India does have one and is striving to achieve the goals within the national policy. It is wonderful to hear from some of the universities here about their research priorities, and there are opportunities for exchange programmes between the US and India. There has never been a more opportune time for higher education institutions in both India and the US to join forces,” he said.
Sharing his views on India’s initiative of allowing foreign universities to set up their campuses here, Czyz said the delegation was given a presentation about the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) initiative, under which world-class foreign universities will now be allowed to set up their campuses.
“What an innovative model that is implemented there. I cannot speak for all universities in the US. But what I can tell is that the higher education community in the US is curious to know about it and they are learning,” he said
Commenting on the Quad fellowship, an initiative by the governments of Australia, India, Japan, and the US administered by the IIE, Sylvia Jons, the lead of the IIE Center for International Partnerships, said, “Four different countries have come together to focus on graduates in the field of STEM, knowing that not one country can alone tackle the challenges of the world. We really need to collaborate.”
Elaborating on other possible areas for that, Czyz said universities in the US are interested in research-based collaborations. “Our universities are interested in the opportunity to work with scholars across borders, to co-write articles and co-undertake research. There has to be a lot of focus on research,” he said.
He further said that other important areas where there has been substantial growth is the Optional Practical Training, under which Indian students get practical training working at US-based companies or international companies. “That is another growth area, an important opportunity for exchange between the two countries,” he added.