Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met with a high-level delegation from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) on Sunday to discuss the possibility of establishing an offshore campus of the renowned US university in India.
The 12-member delegation was led by JHU President Ronald J. Daniels and included representatives from the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute (GKII). GKII, a specialised unit within JHU, is dedicated to fostering collaboration between the JHU community and Indian partners through initiatives in research, education, policy, and practice.
The education minister wrote on the platform 'X' (formerly Twitter), "A productive meeting with Mr. Ronald J. Daniels, President, Johns Hopkins University. We had good discussions on strengthening academic and research collaborations with premier Indian HEIs, as well as on establishing an offshore campus of JHU in India. NEP 2020 has opened doors for multifaceted academic collaborations and the internationalisation of India's education system. I appreciate the keenness of @JohnsHopkins to deepen collaborations with Indian HEIs, particularly in facilitating dual degree/joint degree programs, two-way mobility, and strengthening research partnerships in data science, AI, and futuristic technologies, among others."
The meeting was attended by higher education secretary K. Sanjay Murthy, along with senior officials from the Department of Higher Education, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of External Affairs.
Pradhan commended Johns Hopkins University for its dedication to fostering strong partnerships with Indian higher education institutions. He praised the university's contributions to the global exchange of knowledge, particularly through initiatives such as dual and joint degree programs, two-way mobility of students and faculty, and collaborative research in cutting-edge fields like data science, artificial intelligence, and advanced technologies.
The minister emphasised that Daniels' visit, along with the delegation, underscores the increasing importance of educational collaboration between India and the United States.
As part of their multi-city tour across India, the delegation is set to visit several Indian university campuses and hold discussions with key government officials and academic leaders.