India, Oz agree for joint aid on education

India and Australia on Monday agreed for a total joint financial commitment of up to AUD $ 1 million on various activities as part of mutual cooperation in the fields of education, training and research.

Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani and Australian Education Minister Christopher Pyne signed a memorandum of understanding for mutual cooperation in the field of education after the third meeting of the Australia-India Education Council (AIEC) here on Monday.

Pyne also announced Adam Gilchrist, former Australian wicket keeper, as the Australia-India Education Ambassador, who will help project the quality of Australian education and strengthen bilateral education, training and research relationships. The AIEC is a bi-national body established in 2011 as a commitment by the Education Ministers of India and Australia to guide the strategic direction of education, training and research partnership between the two countries.

Earlier in the day, Pyne visited Delhi Public School to launch a pilot project linking schools in India and Australia under the Australia–Asia Building Regional Intercultural Dialogue and Growing Engagement (BRIDGE) programme, which seeks to connect Australian teachers, students, and school communities with their peers in Asia so that they could exchange knowledge.

“The BRIDGE programme connects Australian schools to schools around the world so that students and teachers alike can learn from one another and build lasting cultural ties and skills,” Pyne said.

Since 2008, the BRIDGE has partnered 243 Australian schools with schools in China, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.