Four Scottish-India education initiatives unveiled

Updated on: Thursday, November 01, 2012

The cabinet minister for Culture and External Affairs unveiled four Scottish-India education initiatives on Wednesday, which include a partnership between Robert Gordon University and an Indian technology school, an Indian work-placement programme for UK graduates from Dundee University, collaboration between Scottish academics from Queen Margaret University in developing sustainable tourism businesses in rural India and a new diploma launched by Scottish Investment Operations.

The announcements were made at the 'Innovation in Education' round-table in New Delhi which was organised by Scottish Development International, in partnership with India's Planning Commission and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. At the round-table, which was also attended by senior representatives of four Scottish education institutes, Hyslop led the discussion on the importance of innovation in education for India to achieve its economic goals, along with the critical need to increase the employability levels of students.

Hyslop said: "With the world's fourth largest economy and second highest growing economy, India is an important trade and investment partner for Scotland with 13 Indian companies investing up to £700 million in the past five years. In turn, India is looking to secure its future growth through innovation and Scotland offers a wealth of technological innovation expertise and cutting edge research and development which are helping India achieve its goals. In particular, our expertise in education, financial and business services, energy and healthcare present significant opportunities for Scottish businesses trading in India. Increasing business links in these areas forms a key component of my visit."

India Country Manager of Scottish Development International, Mark Dolan said: "The Scottish education sector has a long standing relationship with Indian universities and companies - seven universities and higher education institutes already have a highly successful presence in India. Today's announcements reinforce the Scottish Government and Scottish Development International's continued commitment to support education and human resource initiatives in India as part of our strategic engagement with the country's government and business community."

Announcements made during the round-table included - Robert Gordon University (RGU) signed an agreement with the Maharashtra Institute Of Technology School Of Telecom Management (MITSOT) affiliated to the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT), Pune University which will see MITSOT students, as part of their two-year Postgraduate Diploma in Management, spend two semesters at RGU undertaking its MSc International Business, followed by a third semester dissertation project under RGU supervision at MITSOT; Scottish Investment Operations (SIO), an Edinburgh-based body launched the Investment Accounting Diploma, which is an industry made professional qualification backed by the world's largest financial institutions and designed to raise the quality of human resource in the financial services industry globally.

The significant growth in asset management in India (47% between 2003 and 2009) and the success of a pilot programme in India earlier this year has prompted the launch of this global qualification in the Indian market; Dundee University has been chosen to run a UK wide work placement programme as part of the UK-India Education and Research Initiative, which will help UK graduates enter the Indian workplace and experience living and working in India, in order to gain a strong understanding of one of the world's fastest emerging economies; Queen Margaret University (QMU) is running a joint project with the Indian YES Bank and the Scottish Government which uses the expertise of Scottish academics to develop sustainable tourism businesses in rural India led by the local communities.

In November, the partnership will launch the "Edge of India", a co-operative tourism network of rural villages, to the global tourism sector at the World Travel Market in London. Pawan Agarwal, higher education and culture adviser from the Planning Commission of India, who jointly ran the event with Scottish Development International and FICCI, said: "We are delighted to partner with the Scottish Government and Scottish Development International in organising this workshop on 'Innovation in Education'. The Indian Prime Minister has declared this as the decade of innovation and the key to promoting innovation is cross-learning from each-others' experiences. We at the Planning Commission are engaged in strategic thinking about education and fostering innovation by cross-learning and as a result, partnership with Scotland is at the heart of our work."

More Education news

• Karnataka department of higher education to further strengthen protection to women students and employees
• Heads of government and private schools directed to keep a close watch on the behaviour of teachers
• Chairman of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions submits his report
• Everyone will be given due representation says Goa CM
• Pune Education Department to hold meetings with schools to ensure a smooth RTE implementation
• Health and Medical Education, Forest and Home departments within the ambit of Public Services Guarantee Act
• 'value education' courses in engineering colleges to inculcate better values and character building
• students challenge new NET gidelines
• Proposed multi crore edu city project nearing completion
• 21 engineering colleges affiliated to the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University to seek accreditation
• MBBS and PG medical seats to be increased by 50% and 100% respectively from academic year 2013-14
• M S University's faculty of fine arts mired in controversy over a painting hurting religious sentiment
• IICA inks MoU with Bangalore-based National Law School of India University for forging academic partnership
• President asks private players to contribute in improving the standards of higher education
• First technical and medical university at picturesque Apatani Plateau in lower Subansiri district
• Prayas scheme to be extended to 4 more districts
• Jamia Millia Islamia Professor gets Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship
• Japans new government will not waive tution fee to pro-Pyongyang high schools
• Most Israeli high school students found accessing Mobile phone during class hours
• UGC notifies the procedure and criteria for declaration of result for NET to be conducted on 30.12.12