By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : The US and India hold their first ever higher education summit here Thursday aimed at strengthening higher education collaboration and exchanges between their institutions.
Co-chaired by India’s Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the summit will provide a platform for government and education leaders to outline their vision for 21st century education engagement.
The summit will also highlight and emphasise the avenues through which the higher education communities in the US and India have engaged and can further engage in expanded cooperation, officials said.
The US envisions a robust role for the US and Indian governments in promoting and encouraging the vibrancy and depth of the cooperation between their education sectors, according to an official US news release.
A broad cross-section of academics, university presidents and administrators, non-governmental organizations and foundation executives, and association and private-sector leaders would be participating in the summit at Georgetown University.
Indian Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao and former US ambassador to India and President Emeritus of Colorado College Richard Celeste will deliver luncheon remarks. Sibal and US Education Secretary Arne Duncan will deliver closing remarks.
On Wednesday, Sibal and Deputy Secretary of State William Burns will address an opening reception hosted by the US-India Business Council, a leading trade advocacy group with a membership of about 400 US and Indian companies.
US and India must be full partners in building a workforce that will drive the 21st century, USIBC said reiterating its commitment to being at the forefront of strengthening education collaboration between the two nations through its education initiative.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at [email protected])