Universities have a role to play in shaping India’s future

By Richard North 15 November 2013 - Australian universities are in a favourable position to help India tackle its long-term challenges of reducing poverty, lifting education standards and developing a skilled workforce, says Professor Duncan Ivison, the Dean of Arts and Social Sciences. Visiting Delhi with a University delegation, Professor Ivison said there was a deep desire among leading Indian universities and colleges to engage with leading global universities at undergraduate and postgraduate level, to expand their intellectual horizons and develop research skills. "The demand for higher education in India is huge and growing, and Australia has a unique opportunity to work closely with India's leading minds," he said. "We should work with and learn from Indian researchers and students as they address some of the most pressing challenges of our times: how to continue the work of lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, raise education standards, develop ecologically sustainable growth and protect the rights of minorities. The University of Sydney has research and teaching strengths in all of these areas." During the visit - which coincided with the wave of emotion in India over the last Test played by cricketer Sachin Tendulkar - Professor Ivison discussed collaborative projects with representatives from Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University. Sandra Meiras, the University's Director International, said one of India's greatest challenges, and a matter of concern for the Indian government, was the need to develop a skilled and mobile workforce.