During Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Minster for Education Simon Birmingham’s visit to India next week, Universities Australia will host a high-level roundtable aimed at increasing research and employability collaborations between Australian and Indian universities.

Universities Australia is also pleased to be hosting an event for some of our inspiring Indian alumni. Minister Birmingham will see first-hand the broad influence that those who have studied at an Australian university, including pioneering Indian entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, are having back in their home country.

This alumni and engagement forum will also showcase the ways in which Australian universities are engaging in India to help empower local communities, in areas like sport.

Over two days in Delhi, the leaders of more than half of Australia’s universities will meet with their Indian counterparts to discuss collaboration in agriculture and mining, and ways to develop students’ entrepreneurial skills.

Universities Australia Chief Executive Belinda Robinson said the visit was a great opportunity to further strengthen the relationship between our two countries through our respective skills, higher education and research interests. This will deliver a plethora of benefits, including increasing student enrolments and research collaboration.

“These are two countries that understand the value of education, research and innovation in powering future prosperity,” Ms Robinson said.

“It’s no coincidence that the first foreign education provider to set up operations in India was an Australian institution – Deakin University – in 1994,” she said.

With enrolments increasing to nearly 45,000 in 2016, India is now the second most common source country for students in Australian higher education.

Agreements between the two countries have also exploded by more than 500 per cent since 2003.

“Geopolitical shifts are presenting clear opportunities for Australian universities and increasingly Indian students are picking Australia as a top study destination.”

India’s The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Australia’s Deakin University will celebrate the inauguration of their Nano Biotechnology Centre on day two of the visit.

Belinda Robinson is available for interview, travelling press should contact Catriona Jackson on 0417 142 238.