US looking forward to passage of Foreign varsities bill

Updated on: Friday, October 14, 2011

US looks forward to the passage of the Foreign Universities Bill in the Indian Parliament as American educational institutions want to engage India, a senior Obama Administration official said here.

"We see tremendous progress but the very fact that the bill is in front of Parliament, it just clarifies things better... In conversations with Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, he informs me this bill is likely to pass through Parliament this year. We are hopeful it is the case and we look forward to the passage," the official said.

Suresh Kumar, Assistant Secretary for Trade Promotion and Director General of the US and Foreign Commercial Service in the U.S. Commerce Department, told reporters that they would see the Bill as the first step on how to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the education field.

'From the instituions in the US, there is tremendous interest in engaging India.. so first thing they want is clarity on what are the rules, structures and how do we engage... as it refers to fee structure, for profit and non-profit institutions and different business models which will enable to attract more institutions. Clarity is the first stage but there is work to be done.," he said.

The Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010, proposes to allow foreign education providers set up campuses in India and offer degrees.

Kumar, who is leading a 21 US Schools Mission to India, recalled the stress laid by the governments of India and US, especially in the wake of President Barack Obama's visit to the country and said the two were focussing on a knowledge-based initiaitive.

Referring to India's efforts to almost triple its higher education enrollment ratio by 2020, he said his country was willing to engage and work with India in this endavour, "at a policy level."

"Educational institutions in US are ready, willing and able to engage with their Indian counterparts to make sure india builds the infrastructure in the education sphere that it requires to and continue to progress and grow at the rate it has been," he noted.

Efforts such as the Foreign University Bill would be helpful in striking collaborations, he said adding Education, Energy and Infrastructure were areas that are imperative for India's growth and US is willing to engage India in these spheres.

He particulalry referred to Tamil Nadu leading in the area of renewable sources of energy and said that US firms had the technology and products to help it in this regard.

To a question, he said that students from India should check with authentic sources such as the Consular Offices regarding their education in U.S.

US looking forward to passage of Foreign varsities bill

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