Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday to strengthen bilateral cooperation in education and research between India and Singapore. Their discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in school education, vocational training, and research, underpinned by three key pillars: talent, resources, and market opportunities.
Discussions also extended to joint research in deep tech, healthcare, and advanced materials. Pradhan expressed interest in collaborations between Singapore's National Institute of Education and India's NCERT in areas like curriculum development and teacher training.
Mr Pradhan emphasised India's regard for Singapore as a key knowledge partner, particularly in advancing technology, startups, and innovation ecosystems. He noted that Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Lawrence Wong have set the groundwork for a comprehensive partnership, which includes collaboration in emerging sectors.
Earlier in the day, Mr Pradhan held talks with Singapore's Education Minister, Chan Chun Sing, where they discussed bolstering ties in education. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was highlighted as a catalyst for internationalizing India's education system. Both ministers explored initiatives such as overseas internships for Indian students at Singaporean companies, as well as the possibility of twinning schools in both countries to foster cultural exchange and educational collaboration.
At the National University of Singapore (NUS), Mr Pradhan met with President Professor Tan Eng Chye to discuss expanding academic and research collaborations between NUS and leading Indian institutions. They explored partnerships in deep tech, digitalisation, healthcare, and sustainability, aligning with the goals of NEP 2020 to enhance access to quality higher education and global opportunities for Indian students.
His visit to Singapore, followed by a trip to Australia, from October 20 to 26, 2024, seeks to foster educational collaboration and shared objectives in critical sectors.
