The India US collaboration on higher education will start in October 2011. The two year old initiative between the two countries will be discusses between Human resource development minister Kapil Sibal and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton in Washington on October 13, 2011.
“It will give shape to the initiative announced jointly by Indian Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) and US President (Barack Obama),” said an HRD ministry spokesperson.
The collaboration was announced during Singh’s visit to the US in November 2009.
The key co-operation areas include education and educational reform, community development and innovation, according to the HRD ministry’s proposal document.
India wants to set up 14 theme-based universities, promote research, train teachers and brand a group of leading educational institutes the Indian Ivy League under the Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative or OSI.
With an initial funding of $10 million (around Rs 50 crore) shared by both partners, the knowledge initiative will promote increasing university linkages, junior faculty development exchanges and teachers training.
Leading higher education institutes in India are facing a 20-35% shortage of faculty, according to data available with the HRD ministry. Central universities face a shortage of at least 30%.
To overcome this, institutes have been allowed to hire non-resident Indians and foreigners as well as opt for faculty exchange programmes.
A delegation comprising industry experts, academicians, vice-chancellors of some Central universities and representatives of industry bodies will accompany Sibal and his bureaucrats for the meeting with Clinton, the first HRD ministry official said.
“When you want to establish yourself as a knowledge economy, such cooperation are vital as we need to adopt best practices,” said S.S. Chawla, a senior director, education committee, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, an industry body.
