New Delhi: The significance of education in the Australia-India relationship was discussed yesterday, June 4, 2025, at a session organised by the University of Melbourne's Global Centre in Delhi. To commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Australia-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), which has expanded cooperation in education, research, and innovation, 50 government and education leaders from both nations attended the event, which was hosted by Hon. Richard Marles MP, Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence.
By emphasising education, research, and innovation as components of the relationship, the meeting represented a step forward in collaboration.
The forum also marked the University of Melbourne’s presence in India. The Melbourne Global Centre in Delhi, opened in September 2024, is the University's first international hub and a sign of its work in India’s education and research systems.
Professor Muthupandian Ashokkumar, Director of the University of Melbourne Global Centre in Delhi, said: "For more than 16 years, we have built partnerships that support students, researchers, and institutions. Working with our Indian counterparts, we are building capacity and preparing the next group of leaders to face challenges."
The Association of Indian Universities' Secretary General, Dr. Pankaj Mittal, discussed the need of cooperation, saying, "The Australia-India education partnership demonstrates how academic work can support progress." We are developing our educational systems and assisting students in interacting with the outside world through collaborative research, student mobility, and connections across institutions.
Under the Australia-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the meeting emphasised the importance of research and education collaborations as catalysts for advancement. Work in skills, technology, and development is being supported by policy frameworks, collaborative research, and scholarly interactions.
Along with partners from the Australian High Commission and the University's Asia-focused institutes, attendees included academic leaders and representatives from Amity University, Shoolini University, OP Jindal Global University, and Ashoka University.
Since its establishment in 2020, the CSP has provided combined funding of more than AUD $100 million to support more than 450 research collaborations between Australian and Indian institutions.
By developing instructional programs and expanding educational access through collaborative research, the University of Melbourne is collaborating with India's National Education Policy 2020. Based on common objectives, the university's partnership with India suggests a direction for educational collaboration.
