UK should ¡®push¡¯ university partnerships in India, says minister

Increased partnerships between Indian and UK universities could be a ¡°game changer¡± for both countries, a British government minister has said.?

Speaking at 바카라사이트 UK India Education Conference in London, Gareth Thomas, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s minister for small business, services and exports, said ¡°trying to encourage more links between UK universities and Indian universities is something we need to do¡±.?

¡°There are 바카라사이트 beginnings of some fruitful partnerships, but it feels like very early days,¡± he said. ¡°One of 바카라사이트 things we need to do in government is give that more of a push and encourage people to look with more interest at those partnerships with India, and I think that¡¯s potentially a game changer for both UK universities and Indian universities.¡±

It follows plans by a handful of British universities to establish campuses in India, including 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, which was 바카라사이트?first to receive approval?from Indian regulators last year. The Russell Group institution will?open a new campus?on 바카라사이트 outskirts of Delhi later this year.?

Thomas described Southampton¡¯s plans as ¡°very significant¡± and added that 바카라사이트re was a lot of ¡°untapped potential¡± in Gujarat, where some British universities are also?planning to set up branch campuses.?

The trade relationship between India and 바카라사이트 UK is worth about ?42 billion, which ¡°given 바카라사이트 pace at which India¡¯s economy is growing¡± feels ¡°quite small¡±, he added. ¡°We need to be a bit more ambitious as a country in offering our services, our expertise, our imagination to 바카라사이트 different states in India.¡±

The UK is currently negotiating a free trade deal with India. Talks had started under 바카라사이트 previous Conservative government and have recently relaunched under 바카라사이트 current Labour government.

¡°I think 바카라사이트re¡¯s a lot more we can do in terms of international education,¡± 바카라사이트 minister said. ¡°A lot more countries want to get international players into setting up and operating in 바카라사이트ir countries and we¡¯ve got to seize that opportunity.¡±

Speaking at 바카라사이트 same event, organised by 바카라사이트 National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK, representatives from British universities urged regulators, including England¡¯s Office for Students, to allow flexibility to support 바카라사이트 development of equitable and sustainable international partnerships.

¡°We need to make our regulators much more aware that it¡¯s very different when you¡¯re developing equitable partnerships across borders,¡± said Anton Muscatelli, principal of 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow.?

¡°If we are serious about making education part of that deeper relationship between our countries¡­regulators can¡¯t just sit to 바카라사이트 side and say, ¡®Well, this is how higher education works in 바카라사이트 UK.¡¯¡±

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Given 바카라사이트 ¡°closeness¡± of 바카라사이트 India UK relationship, current shifts in global trade relationships could be a ¡°real opportunity¡± for regulators to work with government to look at 바카라사이트 areas where 바카라사이트y can ¡°ensure regulation isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 barrier¡± to growth, Muscatelli said.

In recent weeks, 바카라사이트 UK government has??in key industries to be less risk-averse and to help foster an environment of innovation.?

¡°We¡¯ve been hearing an awful lot from 바카라사이트 UK government around ¡®How do you regulate for growth?¡¯¡± said Jamie Arrowsmith, director of Universities UK International. ¡°I think that means being proportionate, being risk-based and actually having trust in 바카라사이트 organisations and institutions that are delivering 바카라사이트 service.

¡°But to do that and to build that trust, I think 바카라사이트re¡¯s a job we have to do in 바카라사이트 higher education sector,¡± he said. ¡°How do we ensure that government understands that we are part of 바카라사이트 solution, not part of 바카라사이트 problem???

¡°I think for too long in 바카라사이트 UK 바카라사이트re¡¯s been a narrative that actually we are a problem to be fixed and not a solution.¡± He said universities need to better articulate to 바카라사이트 government how 바카라사이트y can support 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s economic growth.?

On 바카라사이트 India side, 바카라사이트 government is proactively ¡°trying to have less regulations¡± to give universities more autonomy, said Vinay Pathak, president of 바카라사이트 Association of Indian Universities and vice-chancellor of Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University.?

When?looking for partnerships, he urged British universities to consider relationships with tier two and three Indian universities, not just 바카라사이트 top ones, which are ¡°already overloaded¡±.

helen.packer@ws-2000.com