The Ministry of Education announced that the 3rd Australia–India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) meeting will be held tomorrow in New Delhi, marking a major step forward in strengthening bilateral cooperation across education, research, and skilling.
The high-level meeting will be co-chaired by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education; Hon Jason Clare MP, Australian Minister for Education; Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Education; and Hon Andrew Giles MP, Australian Minister for Skills & Training. Senior officials, experts and academicians from both countries will also participate.
Australia delegation to arrive for two-day official visit
A high-powered Australian delegation led by Education Minister Hon Jason Clare MP, Skills Minister Hon Andrew Giles MP, and Assistant Minister for International Education Hon Julian Hill MP will visit New Delhi on 8–9 December 2025. The visit will feature bilateral meetings, review sessions, and the exchange of key documents aimed at boosting institutional partnerships.
A major highlight will be the handing over of the Letter of Intent (LoI) by India’s University Grants Commission (UGC) to the University of New South Wales (UNSW)—one of Australia’s top-ranked universities—for establishing its international campus in India. This marks a significant milestone in India’s push to attract global universities under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 framework.
Key focus areas for collaboration
The AIESC meeting will cover a broad agenda, including:
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Strengthening Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)
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Advancing teacher training and professional development pathways
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Enhancing mutual recognition frameworks in school education
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Expanding industry–academia partnerships
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Scaling efforts in skilling, workforce development and vocational education
Officials will also deliberate on expanding collaborative research under existing and new programmes.
New research projects, MoUs and LoIs to be announced
Under the Scheme for Promotion of Academic Research Collaboration (SPARC), the Ministry of Education will announce 10 new joint research projects between Indian and Australian higher education institutions. These collaborations aim to advance research in emerging disciplines, innovation, sustainability, and technology.
Additionally, both countries will unveil new MoUs and LoIs covering education, training, institutional partnerships, and skill-building ecosystems.
Building on previous AIESC milestones
The upcoming meeting follows the first two successful editions of the AIESC held in Gandhinagar (2023) and Sydney (2024). Both nations have strengthened ties since signing the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications (MRQ) agreement in 2023, enabling smoother mobility for students and professionals.
The 3rd AIESC aims to accelerate this momentum by expanding opportunities for students, teachers, researchers and institutions across both countries.
The India–Australia collaboration continues to evolve into one of the most robust international partnerships in education and skilling, with tomorrow’s meeting expected to unlock new avenues for cooperation.
