India and Australia have reached a new agreement that will benefit students and education providers in both countries. The Mechanism for the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications is the most comprehensive education agreement of its kind that India has signed with another country. Australian Minister for Education Jason Clare and India’s Minister of Education and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, the Hon Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, signed the agreement during a meeting in New Delhi.
The agreement will provide Indian students with greater certainty that the qualifications they attain from Australian universities will be recognised in India. This means that they can be sure that their degrees will be recognised if they wish to continue higher education in India. The mechanism also opens up possibilities for flexible and innovative partnerships between education institutions in both countries.
In addition to the Mechanism for the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications, 11 more memoranda of understandings were signed between Australian and Indian education counterparts. These agreements are expected to drive bilateral cooperation between India and Australia in various fields such as bio-innovation and law.
Ministers Pradhan and Clare reaffirmed their commitment to establishing an Australia India Working Group on Transnational Partnerships to further opportunities for greater institutional collaboration. The working group is expected to report to Ministers at the next Australia India Education and Skills Council meeting later this year.
Australian Minister for Education, Jason Clare, emphasised the benefits of the new agreement, stating that it “locks in the rules for mutual recognition to access education in both our countries, including the qualifications we provide online and offshore”. He added that the agreement reflects the strong and mutually beneficial relationship between India and Australia and that Australian universities are well placed to contribute to India’s domestic education goals and to support the skills and employment needs of key Indian industries.
Ministers Clare and Pradhan are expected to meet again later this year when they co-chair the Australia India Education and Skills Council meeting with the Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, Minister for Skills and Training.