UAE Ministry of Education and its counterpart in India strengthen educational collaboration

ABU DHABI, 2nd November, 2023 (WAM) – The UAE Ministry of Education has signed a significant cooperation agreement with its counterpart in India to enhance joint work and exchange experiences in the educational field. The signing ceremony took place during the visit of Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in the Government of India, along with his accompanying delegation, to the UAE.Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, UAE Minister of Education and Dharmendra Pradhan signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), on behalf of their respective nations. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi highlighted the robust UAE-India historical and cultural ties that have been reinforced through extensive collaboration in various key sectors, notably in education. This collaboration has fostered robust strategic relations and cooperation, paving the way for a promising future marked by growth, progress and prosperity. Dr. Al Falasi said: “We underscore the significance of this collaboration with the Republic of India, which will enhance the effectiveness, growth, and prosperity of our educational system in line with the aspirations of both countries. We at the Ministry of Education are keen to continue establishing cooperation frameworks with educational institutions and entities regionally and globally to advance our educational system and elevate the quality of education. These collaborations also contribute to the exchange of knowledge and experiences with countries around the world to boost the skills and competencies of teachers and students, preparing them to tackle future challenges.”This MoU aims to strengthen bilateral relations by promoting student and faculty mobility, facilitating joint research programmes, developing courses, organising conferences, symposia, and exhibitions, and sharing lectures on mutual interests.The MoU also aims to bolster cooperation in terms of exchanging information in the fields of public and higher education, including regulations and legal structures regulating public and higher education. This also includes exchanging best practices in evaluation and classification frameworks and information that elevate the national qualifications, the latest developments and trends in technology, as well as frameworks and policies for the development of gifted and talented skills.Both parties will also exchange information on a comprehensive benchmark on the curriculum framework and on qualifications issued by educational institutions in both countries in order to facilitate mutual recognition of these qualifications. Additionally, the MoU includes facilitating academic collaboration between higher education institutions in both countries, enabling twinning, joint degree and dual degree programmes. Moreover, the MoU stipulates capacity development of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) teaching staff, as well as any other areas to be mutually agreed upon.The total number of students of Indian nationality in general education schools in the UAE is 271,109, including 248 in government schools and 270,861 in private schools, while the number of students in higher education institutions is 5,707, including 1,142 in public education institutions and 4,565 in private education institutions.