India-Oz sign deal to expand education ties

Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, Apr 8 (PTI) India and Australia Thursday inked
a major education deal to expand exchanges in the sector as
both sides sought to take their "relationship forward" after a
series of vicious attacks on Indian students, including one
that turned fatal for a 21-year-old youth.
The deal was signed as India's Minister for Human
Resource Development Kapil Sibal met Australian Deputy Prime
Minister Julia Gillard here, their second meeting in six
months.
Under the deal, the two sides agreed to set up a joint
education council and to extend exchanges in the field of
education.
"The fact that I am here suggests we want to take the
relationship forward, it does not mean that we are not
concerned about what's happening here," Sibal told reporters.
An India-Australia Education Council comprising experts
from both sides will be formed and a joint ministerial
statement has been signed to expand the education exchange
programme.
Over 100 cases of attacks on Indians were reported last
year in Australia, including the murder of 21-year-old Nitin
Garg, straining ties between the two countries.
They also led to the Indian government issuing a travel
advisory asking students to exercise caution while in
Australia, and were followed by a flurry of high-profile
visits by Australian dignitaries, including Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd, to India.
On the issue of the travel advisory, Sibal said: "The
advisory obviously was given at a point in time when the
incidents were at a height... students are still coming to
Australia, we have not prevented them".
Sibal and Gillard were meeting after six months and the
former said he believed the attacks on Indians had declined.
"I think the Australian government is taking strong steps
in that direction to prevent those things happening," he said.
The impact of the attacks was visible as the number of
Indians seeking admissions to Australian institutes plummeted
last year, from 6303 to 3761, a 40 per cent decline as
compared to the previous year.
The federal education department also revealed recently
that international student numbers were down nationally three
per cent and 12 per cent in Victoria.
"For an Indian family that sends a young person to this
country a long way from home, they want to know that their
young person is going to be safe, get a good experience, a
great education and they're going to be able to go back home
and use those skills," Gillard said, assuring Sibal of action.
Gillard said the government would toughen up regulation
of education colleges through a "re-registration process"
following problems with international students not getting
proper qualifications.
Sibal said the Right to Education Act in India and the
government's objective of increasing the number of university
and vocational training students, open up "enormous
opportunities" for Australian educational institutes.
"It's in that context we are reaching out to Australia,
saying you have enormous opportunities in India to partner
with us at the school, vocational education and training
level, higher education and research level," Sibal said.
"It's very important for both of us at the two ends to
develop the skills which allow our human resources to take
advantage," he added.
Earlier in the morning, Sibal attended a breakfast
meeting with community leaders here, and later in the
afternoon he met officials of the Victorian government,
including Brumby.
He is scheduled to attend a reception this evening,
expected to be attended by several community leaders and other
officials. PTI NC
MRD