Canadian, Indian and other international experts energized by universities’ strategic engagement with India

OTTAWA, June 10, 2010 – When the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada’s two-day workshop on strategic engagement with India wraps up today, participants from more than one-third of Canada’s universities will return to their campuses equipped with strategic and practical approaches to nurturing productive, long-term, value-added relationships with Indian counterparts.

“Canada’s universities are pursuing opportunities in India that will enrich experiences for students, strengthen links between Canada and India, and advance international research collaboration,” said Paul Davidson, President of AUCC.

Coupled with its rapid economic rise, India is dramatically expanding its higher education system and is on track to surpass the research capacity of each G8 country within the decade. It is vitally important that Canada engages with India, and Canada’s universities are well placed to promote Canada and develop effective partnerships.

With its international partnership and internationalization expertise, and with the strong support of university presidents across Canada, AUCC has made strategic engagement with India a priority.

The workshop entitled Advancing Excellence in Strategic Engagement with India, builds on AUCC’s involvement with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s Higher Education Summits in 2008 and 2009 and a graduate mobility workshop held in Delhi in 2009. The two-day session in Ottawa drew over 50 participants from over 30 Canadian universities and included leading experts form India and the private sector.

It follows recent missions by Prime Minister Harper, and Premiers McGuinty and Charest, where higher education featured prominently on the agenda. The event also sets the stage for a mission of 15 university presidents to India later this fall.

Workshop participants were unanimous that Canadian universities can help ensure Canada becomes a partner of choice for India and that they have great value to bring to the Indian higher education sector. “While there are many distinct models of engagement being utilized by the Canadian universities, the underlying goals for their commitments are the same: reciprocity, longevity and productivity. We see vast potential in what Canada is doing – mobilizing its expertise from diverse institutions and setting the pace for engagement that is in the best interest of both nations,” said Pawan Agarwal, Secretary to the Government of West Bengal. “We look forward to welcoming the Canadian delegation to India this fall,” he added.

Key note and other speakers urged participants of the workshop to think about long-term, substantive and sustained efforts with Indian partners as a means to create opportunities for Canadian students and faculty to gain first-hand experience. As India’s importance in the world grows, individuals skilled with engaging India will be in high demand.

To conclude the AUCC workshop this evening, the Indian High Commissioner to Canada, Shashishekhar M. Gavai, will welcome participants to his home, a networking opportunity also marking the kick-off to the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute’s annual members’ meeting commencing Friday. Earlier in the workshop, he congratulated AUCC for reaching out to India on behalf of the Canadian universities and for making major contributions to bridge the higher education sectors of the two countries.

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AUCC is the national voice for Canada’s universities. It represents 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities.

For more information:

Alison Hebbs
Assistant director, Communications
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada