Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 19 : Australian High Commissioner Philip Green on Wednesday presented Australia as a remarkable destination for Indian students that offers competitive education that taps into the potential of the ambitious youth of the country.
He made the remarks while speaking to the media on the sidelines of the IC3 event in Mumbai on Wednesday.
High Commissioner Green told the media that the two countries remain deeply engaged on the front of education. He recalled the launch of the India-Australia Economic Roadmap and how education is one of the "four super-highways for growth" and that the country provides high-quality education at a reasonable cost.
"Australia is deeply engaged with India across a whole range of fields, but education is a truly key one. Our Prime Ministers launched last year the India-Australia roadmap and of the four so-called super highways of growth that we have education and training is one of them," the High Commissioner said.
The High Commissioner noted that eight Australian Universities have identified and will be/already opening campuses in India.
"We have 18 Australian universities represented, two of our school boards, because some of our secondary school boards would teach the Australian or the South Australian or West Australian curriculum here, and a couple of other of our private providers. Those are those who are exhibiting here. Eight Australian universities have identified that they will be opening campuses or already opening campuses in India."
Noting how Australia has about 1,40,000 Indian students, he pitched the country's high-quality education to provide opportunities for Indian students.
"We want quality Indian students to come to Australia, about 140,000 of them in my country right now. But the education pathway shouldn't be a one-way street. The opening of foreign branch campuses in India means that Indian students and Indian parents have a choice between high quality education in Australia or the same quality of education right here in India at a rather lesser price. So I'm all about choice. about giving Indian students an opportunity to have a really first class Australian education."
Lauding the spirit of India's youth towards an aspirational future, he pitched an Australian education as gateway to translate vision into actual career paths.
"Wherever I go around this country, I see young people who have great plans and visions for the future. But in order for that to be translated into actual career paths that are very successful, people will need the skills they need. This country is blessed with huge human talent... So high quality education, whether that comes from India or comes from Australia or from other countries some other country is going to be vitally important to the India story going forward and we in Australia want India to be a success," he said.
Earlier this year in July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese had highlighted expanding education collaboration, demonstrated by the growing number of Australian university campuses operating in India or approved to do so,
The Prime Ministers had underscored how people are at the heart of the partnership between the two countries.