MoS Dr Ranjan addresses 5th GEF
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 30 2022:
Minister of State for Education Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh addressed the 5th GEF (Global Education Forum) Summit 2022 at Delhi today.
The GEF Summit under the theme "Internationalization of Indian Higher Education" was organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce at Hyatt Regency, Delhi.
Speaking at the summit, Dr Ranjan said globalization of education has effectively changed the society from industry based society to an information based society.
The biggest challenge globalization offers is to envisage the betterment of the whole world and its citizens not limiting one to the restricted geographical boundaries.
Current need is to make Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam, the Indian ethos of yesteryears, the mainstream once again to think and act globally, he said.
India was a Vishwa Guru during the ancient time of Nalanda and Takshila.
In order to ensure sustainable growth, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has been brought with the vision that India takes the role of Viswa Guru again, the MoS said.
The NEP 2020 is all about facilitating research and teaching collaborations, mutually beneficial MoUs with foreign countries, encouraging high performing Indian Universities to set up campuses in other countries and setting up an International Student Office at each Higher Education Institutions (HEI) for welcoming and supporting students arriving from abroad.
It is also about introducing courses in the subjects, such as Ideology, Indian languages, AYUSH systems of medicines, Yoga etc.
The Government is committed to achieving the objectives of the National Education Policy 2020.Several initiatives have already been taken in this regard, he added.
At the Government-to-Government level, the Ministry of Education has signed MoUs with counterparts of several countries.
MoUs have been signed with countries like Norway, UAE and UK.
The Ministry of Education has held bilateral talks with counterparts in Australia.
Further, regular engagement is being continued with multilateral organisations like BRICS, SCO, G20, Arab League, African Union, IORA, SAARC, BIMSTEC etc for strengthening educational collaborations with foreign countries as a group.
India also participated in the G20 Education Working Group Meetings.
Bilateral meetings with the Education Ministers of Indonesia, Singapore, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and South Africa were also held on the sideline.
India has been re-elected to the Executive Board of UNESCO and has been elected to the World Heritage Committee for 2021-2025 .
India will also chair the Finance and Administration Commission of UNESCO for 2021-23 for the 1st time as fullchair in 75 years.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has brought in regulations in May 2022 permitting academic collaboration between Indian and foreign Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to offer Twinning, Joint Degree and Dual Degree programmes.
Currently, 230 Indian Universities are eligible to collaborate with foreign HEIs.
As of now, 43 Indian HEIs have collaborations with foreign HEIs.
12 HEIs are offering Twinning Degree, 7 HEIs are offering Joint Degree and 8 HEIs are offering Dual Degree programmes.