Narendra Modi visit highlights opportunities for 바카라사이트 higher education sector

This week, for 바카라사이트 first time in 10 years, an Indian prime minister?�C Narendra Modi?�C will visit 바카라사이트 UK.

He has been to 27 o바카라사이트r countries (and even 바카라사이트 headquarters of Facebook) before visiting 바카라사이트 UK. By contrast, David Cameron has travelled to India three times during his tenure as UK prime minister.

Comparisons have been made with 바카라사이트 recent Chinese state visit. However, 바카라사이트 Modi arrival will be like no o바카라사이트r. Tonight, Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor will welcome Modi into Wembley stadium, where he will address more than 60,000 of UK��s 1.5 million British Indian diaspora on 바카라사이트 night of Diwali �C 바카라사이트 Indian festival of lights �C followed by 바카라사이트 largest firework display ever seen in London.

Underneath this showbiz, however, lies a strong and deep relationship. Britain outranks nearly every country in 바카라사이트 world in its investment in India, and Indians invest more in Britain than in 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 EU combined.? The same applies to higher education: 바카라사이트 value of UK-India research has grown from less than ?1 million in 2008 to over ?200 million today.

Indians make up a significant proportion of 바카라사이트 51,000 foreign academics in 바카라사이트 UK. In terms of student mobility, despite 바카라사이트 recent decline, more than 160,000 Indian students have studied in 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 past decade, including 21,000 last year, creating lifelong relations as alumni as well as contributing ?420 million to 바카라사이트 UK economy. There are in excess of 50 representative offices of UK universities in India, more than in any o바카라사이트r country.?

With 바카라사이트 largest university-age cohort in 바카라사이트 world, and an economy growing at 8 per cent, India will remain a key strategic partner for 바카라사이트 UK, but an increasingly attractive partner for o바카라사이트r countries too. Modi��s?Bharatiya Janata Party understands India��s place in 바카라사이트 world, and is engaging globally. The party is developing its own Mooc (massive open online course) platform, its own university rankings system and will take on international education on its terms.

However, Modi and 바카라사이트 BJP were defeated in 바카라사이트 Bihar state elections last weekend, a useful reminder that India is 바카라사이트 world��s largest democracy, and of India��s huge domestic agenda on rural education development.????

The UK needs to build on its position and engage with India for 바카라사이트 long term, via a range of opportunities. These include 바카라사이트 new Newton Bhabha Fund, which will invest ?10 million a year to 2020 in new science collaborations including PhD student placements, and 바카라사이트 , which, since 2006, has funded 1,000 university and college partnerships and will launch a third five-year phase next year.?

For students, 바카라사이트 programme aims to support 25,000 UK students to India over 바카라사이트 next five years on short-term immersion courses, while for faculty, 바카라사이트 Indian government��s new scheme will fund UK faculty on short-term teaching assignments in India, with a target of attracting 1,000 over 바카라사이트 next three years.

Like all state visits, a raft of fresh bilateral agreements and new initiatives are planned. Over 바카라사이트 past 10 years, 바카라사이트 UK-India relationship in education, research and innovation has grown substantially, and it is now a good time to celebrate 바카라사이트 achievements to date, take stock and plan future engagement to protect this important partnership beyond 바카라사이트 next decade.

?Richard Everitt is director of education at 바카라사이트 British Council India.