Top varsities may open centres in Kerala

Updated on: Friday, February 10, 2012

If the International Education Meet succeeds in its purpose, top ranking universities in the world, such as Cambridge or Harvard, will establish centers in the state.

This is part of the state government’s strategy to get foreign investment in the state.

The Education Minister, P.K. Abdu Rabb told this newspaper that the meet is tentatively scheduled for December. The exact date and venue will be decided later.

Mr Rabb also said that the agenda of the meet was to interact with top universities on mutually beneficial areas of cooperation.

“Though such a meet was organised in February 2006, the results were not up to expectations. This was because the state could not ensure the participation of top ranking universities back then,” he said.

“Foreign universities will also be encouraged to enter into agreements with the State Universities for academic collaboration,” added Mr Rabb.

Sources said that one of the proposals that would come up before the meet was for twinning programmes between Indian universities or institutions and foreign universities or institutions.

The objective is to offer diploma or degree programmes in India or abroad, either individually or jointly, using the resources of both Indian and foreign establishments.

One of the advantages of this meet is that the Union Cabinet has cleared the Foreign Educational Institution (Regulation of Entry and Operation) Bill, 2010, ensuring a legal framework for approving foreign educational institutions to set up campuses in the country.

Foreign universities wishing to establish centres in the country will have to go through different registration processes before finally registering with the UGC or any other regulatory body.

Though 100 per cent foreign direct investment through an automatic route is permitted in the education sector since 2000, the present legal structure does not permit foreign educational institutions to grant degrees in India.

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