India, UAE Education Ministers sign MoU to strengthen existing educational cooperation, facilitating student and faculty mobility

New Delhi [India], November 1 : Union Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday met Minister of Education UAE, Dr Ahmad Al Falasi, in Abu Dhabi.
As per the Ministry of Education, "The Ministers signed an MoU to strengthen existing educational cooperation, facilitate student and faculty mobility and undertake various other initiatives. The minister also visited 42 Abu Dhabi, a school for disruptive learning.
"During the meeting, a significant MoU was signed by the ministers. The MoU aims to strengthen the existing cooperation in the field of educational institutions in both countries by facilitating student and faculty mobility, joint research programmes, designing courses, organising and participating in conferences, lectures, symposia, courses, scientific and educational exhibitions in areas of mutual interest held in both countries," the Ministry of Education said
It will also facilitate the exchange of information in the areas of regulations, legal structures and best practises in general and higher education in both countries.
Frameworks and policies in general and higher education, including national qualification frameworks, are necessary in order to facilitate mutual recognition of qualifications between both countries.
Facilitation of academic collaboration between higher education institutions in both countries for offering twinning, joint Degree and dual degree programmes
Cooperation in the field of capacity development of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teaching staff has been envisaged under this MoU.
"The MoU will facilitate the creation of a Joint Working Group chaired by a representative of the Ministry of Education from India and the UAE. The JWG shall meet at least once a year alternately to review the implementation of this memorandum," the Ministry added.
"The Minister is on a 3-day visit to the UAE. The visit will foster collaboration, participation and synergy in critical areas of mutual interest in education and the skill domain," they added.
During his meeting with his UAE counterpart, Pradhan said that with the UAE being a global economic hotspot and India being a global talent hotspot, both sides should work together to build a knowledge bridge to cement our civilizational connection.
The Ministers reviewed the bilateral engagements in education and skill development, particularly the progress on points discussed during our meeting on the sidelines of the 4th EdWG as a part of the G20 India.
They expressed satisfaction with the progress made with respect to mutual recognition of academic and skill qualifications and recognition of Indian institutes in the UAE, among others and underscored the need for continued work in this area. The ministers expressed their commitment to strengthening institutional mechanisms and speeding up processes for smooth student and workforce mobility.
Dharmendra Pradhan thanked Dr Ahmed Belhoul for the support to schools that follow the Indian curriculum in the UAE. He also discussed ways to facilitate student exchange programmes between India and the UAE.
Pradhan also visited 42 Abu Dhabi, a coding school with a deep focus on encouraging innovation, creativity and peer-to-peer learning through a project-based and gamified curriculum.
Pradhan said that a first-of-its-kind school in the GCC, 42 Abu Dhabi's thrust on removing barriers to education for realising the vision of a tech-enabled future is laudatory. Open 24/7 all throughout the year, it provides perfect flexibility for learners to also learn and earn as per their schedules.
Flexibility and learning while earning are also key recommendations of NEP 2020. Incorporating such progressive pathways is a way forward to empower India's talented youth and workforce, he added.
The Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, also had an insightful interaction with students and faculty at Abu Dhabi Indian School (ADIS).
Pradhan said that one of the largest schools in Abu Dhabi catering to the Indian community, ADIS, is nurturing Indian students and instilling in them the culture, values and ethos of both India and the UAE. These students are future global citizens and ambassadors of India and its civilizational ethos.
Later in the evening, the minister interacted with members of the Odia community. He received a warm welcome from the Indian diaspora in the UAE.