Jaishankar Highlights the Importance of Education in India's Global Engagement

India, S Jaishankar, Education, University of Southampton, NEP 2020, Global Engagement, India-UK Relations, International Education, Research Collaboration.

on Aug 30, 2024

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stressed on Thursday the importance of education in enhancing India's global engagement. He made this statement during a function in New Delhi, where a Letter of Intent was presented to the University of Southampton, which plans to establish a campus in India under the National Education Policy 2020.

"Today marks a significant milestone in international education in India," said the Union minister.

He mentioned at the event held at the Sushma Swaraj Bhawan here that the University of Southampton ranked among the top 100 universities globally, will set up its first campus in India.
"Today's event highlights the robust and diverse bilateral ties between India and the United Kingdom, with education particularly crucial. At the core of this development is the National Education Policy 2020," the Union minister highlighted. The policy NEP 2020 "champions internationalization" and aims to position India as a "global player in education," he added.

The minister asserted that it is not just a policy but a vision for the future of education in India, aspiring to raise our standards to the highest global level.
"It aims to make India an excellent hub, attracting students from around the world, establishing foreign university campuses, and fostering global competencies among our students and faculties. The initiative will help establish a strong international footprint for the brand India in the education sphere," stated Jaishankar.

Moreover, it will help prepare young Indians for the global workplace. This need is growing as new technologies and services demand to be "coordinated with demographic deficits," he said.

Simultaneously, it will enable the world to tap into Indian creativity and talent, the minister remarked. "We view education as a key means today to accelerate a more in-depth engagement between India and the world," the minister expressed.

Jaishankar stated that he was confident that the University of Southampton, with its rich history and academic excellence, will bring a wealth of knowledge, innovation, and expertise to India.
Its presence will greatly benefit students by broadening their educational and research horizons, fostering a culture of knowledge exchange, and encouraging enterprise and engagement on a global scale, he added.

Highlighting that cooperation in education has been a "major path of the India-UK roadmap 2030," he said, "We have Memorandums of Understanding on mutual honour of academic qualifications between the two countries."
The YPS jointly announced by the two governments, provides a unique opportunity for young graduates in both countries to learn and benefit from each other's institutions.

Later, he shared some photos of the event on X. "Pleased to attend handing over of Letter of Intent to the University of Southampton, which will establish a campus in India under NEP 2020. This reflects both the vision of elevating our educational standards to the highest global levels and delivering on the education pillar of India-UK cooperation," he posted on the social media platform. "Confident that such endeavors will further make our youth world-ready and foster a spirit of global understanding and cooperation," he added.

Additionally, the collaboration extends to innovative research programs like the UK-India research initiatives and SPARC, the minister mentioned.

These initiatives bring together the brightest minds from both countries to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time. Faculty mobility through the Global Initiative of Academic Network further enriches this collaboration, he added. "In our increasingly interconnected and globalized world, young Indians must be well-informed and engaged with global developments," Jaishankar said in his address.

He stated that the presence of International Universities and foreign students on Indian campuses will make a significant contribution to this cultural exchange and foster a spirit of global understanding and cooperation.

"I am certain that this initiative will produce far-reaching benefits, elevating India's stature in the global education ecosystem and ensuring students are provided with the understanding and knowledge that they need to excel in the 21st century," he said.