India could soon see Australian universities establish their offshore campuses under a new agreement between the two democracies.
On Wednesday, Australia’s Minister for Education Jason Clare told the delegates at Universities Australia’s gala dinner that this is historic.
Minister Clare confirmed he would use next week’s trip to India to sign the most “broad-ranging” agreement of its kind in Australia’s history.
He said:
“Next week I will head to India. There I will sign the Mechanism on the Recognition of Australian and Indian Qualifications. It locks in the rules for mutual recognition to access education in both our countries, including the qualifications we provide online and offshore. And, I am advised, it’s the broadest and most favourable recognition agreement that India has signed with any country to date.”
This step comes as the Australian government is gearing up to ramp up development prospects in the tertiary sector.
In 2022, Australia has seen a 160 percent jump in the number of students coming from India to start a degree.
India has already announced new education regulations that will allow foreign universities to open offshore campuses in a range of courses such as financial management, science, technology, engineering and Stem.
Minister Clare will be accompanied by Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Penny Wong, eleven Vice-Chancellors, five associations and an education regulator on his trip abroad. This is the first of two trips that Minister Clare will make to India in 2023.
From 9 to 11 March 2023, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will also visit India to discuss key issues.