💞A consortium of six leading Australian universities has shown keen interest in establishing a campus in Gurugram, Haryana, to offer undergraduate courses, according to a Haryana government statement. The delegation, led by Nick McCaffrey, Deputy High Commissioner of the Australian High Commission, met Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday to discuss the initiative.
💟The delegation included key figures such as Mathew Johnston, Minister Counsellor for Education and Research at the Australian High Commission, and Professor Simon Biggs, Chair of the Innovative Research Universities (IRU) and Vice-Chancellor of James Cook University. This collaboration aligns with the IRU's focus on expanding global educational opportunities.
Support from the Haryana Government
𒉰Chief Minister Saini welcomed the proposal and assured the delegation of full support from the state government. He offered existing infrastructure to kickstart the campus and promised additional facilities as needed. The Haryana Foreign Cooperation Department will facilitate the project and oversee coordination with the Australian universities. An MoU formalizing the collaboration is expected to be signed soon.
Benefits for Haryana Students
✨The proposed campus will allow students from Haryana to pursue undergraduate courses locally, eliminating the need to travel to Australia. Graduates will receive degrees from Australian universities, opening doors to global career opportunities. This initiative is expected to significantly reduce the cost of education for students by saving on international tuition fees and living expenses.
♓The campus will initially offer four-year integrated courses in fields such as software engineering, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, financial technology, tourism and hospitality, and sports management. The range of programs will expand over time, based on the needs of the state and community.
Strengthening Indo-Australian Collaboration
🥂During the meeting, the delegation highlighted the strong ties between India and Australia, particularly in the education sector. Deputy High Commissioner McCaffrey credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives since 2014 for fostering deeper collaboration between the two nations.
💦The meeting also acknowledged the success of the Haryana BJP in the recent Vidhan Sabha elections. As a gesture of goodwill, Chief Minister Saini presented copies of the Bhagavad Gita to the delegation. He also noted Haryana’s ongoing International Gita Mahotsav, with Tanzania as the partner country this year, and recalled Australia’s role as the partner country in the previous edition.
Officials Present
💧Key Haryana officials attended the discussion, including Chief Secretary Vivek Joshi, Chief Principal Secretary Rajesh Khullar, Principal Secretary of Higher Education D. Suresh, and others. Their presence underscored the state's commitment to this ambitious educational partnership. This collaboration is a significant step towards enhancing educational opportunities in Haryana while strengthening ties between India and Australia.
(This article is a reworked version of a PTI feed.)
