India and the UK enjoy a close and friendly relationship in various spheres including education, politics, economics, social, and cultural areas. A delegation, led by Prof. (Dr.) S B Mujumdar, Chancellor of Symbiosis International University, along with Dr Vidya Yeravdekar, Pro-Chancellor, and Dr Rajani Gupte, Vice Chancellor, SIU, recently welcomed the delegation to discuss collaborative areas to further strengthen the bond between India and the UK.
The National Education Policy of 2020 in India has taken significant steps to revamp higher education, and the UK, being home to some of the top-ranked universities, offers ample opportunities for collaboration in joint/dual degrees, joint research, and more, as highlighted by British MPs. Symbiosis International University, known for its holistic and multidisciplinary approach to education, offers programs across various faculties such as Law, Management, Engineering, Computer Studies, Architecture and Design, Medical and Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Media and Communication. Leveraging its multidisciplinary approach, the university promotes programs that cut across disciplines and emphasizes liberal education, along with fostering innovation and incubating start-ups to address local issues through its technical institute and health care complex.
India and the UK share a strong strategic partnership, and through the Roadmap 2030, both countries aim to enhance trade, investment, and technological collaboration, with a focus on people-to-people connections, human capital, defense and security ties, and cooperation in global challenges like climate, clean energy, and healthcare. The two countries have also been advocates of parliamentary exchanges and dialogues to foster mutual understanding and strengthen democratic and institutional partnerships.
In this context, FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) has played a significant role in promoting bilateral dialogue and cooperation between India and the UK through various initiatives, such as the FICCI Forum of Parliamentarians, which facilitates bipartisan outreach and engagement on political, economic, and cultural relationships between India and the world. Under the ambit of the Forum of Parliamentarians, FICCI’s India-UK Forum of Parliamentarians actively engages with MPs from both countries, and in April 2023, partnered with the Ministry of External Affairs to organize a visit of British MPs to India.
The focus of the group’s discussions and activities revolve around three core areas:
- Strengthening research and academic collaboration with top-ranked Indian universities.
- Overcoming trade and investment barriers between the UK and India, and working on targeted policies to facilitate economic growth and stronger relations.
- Monitoring and actively engaging in the ongoing negotiations for a UK-India Free Trade Agreement, with a focus on critical areas of interest to their constituency and beyond, through participation in workshops and events with specialists on related topics.
The goal of the group is to create a living bridge and active networks between cross-party members of both Houses of Parliament, businesses, government, and the community, with the aim of enhancing dialogue and engagement. The Government of India’s efforts to implement the National Education Policy of 2020 are significant, and the partnership between India and the UK in the field of education is expected to further strengthen and contribute to this mission.
