US firms eye India's U-15 population as future workforce

Lalit K Jha
Washington, Nov 13 (PTI) Top American firms are eyeing
the huge under-15 population of India for their source of
future workforce as the nation is opening its education sector
for foreign investment.
"With 35 per cent of India's population under the age
of 15, we all must join efforts to ensure that this population
becomes the global workforce of tomorrow," Ron Somers,
president of the US-India Business Council (USIBC), said.
USIBC, the apex body of US companies doing business, has
just concluded its Higher Education Mission to India that
coincided with the US President Barack Obama's visit.
"Education and skills development in any society --
but especially in India -- are the primary means for social
and economic upward mobility. India's leaders are now seizing
the great challenge ahead.
"Working together, the US and India can make certain that
we do not squander this potential. Like the United States,
India places an extraordinary value on education," Somers
said.
During the India mission, USIBC's delegation met with
Secretary for Higher Education Vibha Puri Das as well as other
officials from the Ministry of Human Resource Development to
advocate for greater collaboration between US and Indian
higher educational institutions.
Comprised of heads of leadership and senior
representatives from some of US' top universities and
educational service providers, including Arizona State
University, Boston University, Duke University, Georgetown
University, Pennsylvania State University, New York
University, Rutgers University and Across World Education,
the mission aimed to provide the road-map to further
strengthen
academic collaboration between the two countries.
USIBC aims for collaboration not only through the
passage of the Foreign Education Providers Bill-which USIBC is
eager to see pass-but through deep and meaningful
partnerships.
Arizona State University Chief Research Officer,
Sethuraman Panchanathan, said: "Being part of the Presidential
Executive Mission provided a valuable platform to help
understand the issues and opportunities as we consider
potential partnerships and collaborations between US
universities and institutions in India in the realm of higher
education and innovation."
USIBC said it is eager to expand upon and create
more collaborative programmes between US and Indian
institutions, such as Pennsylvania State University's "two
plus two" programme, whereby students spend two years at an
Indian university before finishing their degree at Penn State.
Programmes like these, as well as student/faculty
exchanges and research collaborations are already possible
under the current regulatory regime and should be explored
further, it said.
"In the spirit of President Obama's visit, there is
an opportunity for the United States to foster and support
India's mission of collaboration and discovery, and to export
knowledge, resources, and research to enhance the capability
of making learning and teaching resources accessible,"
president and CEO of AcrossWorld Education Stephan Thieringer
said. PTI LKJ
HMI