Boosting student exchange

Scotland may be tiny in size as compared to India but did you know that by the time of its union with England in 1707, it was already home to four universities? A beautiful country with a huge diversity of scenic landscapes where the modern and the rustic blend in wonderful harmony, many of Scotland’s colleges, like the University of Edinburgh, are housed in historic buildings that form an indivisible part of the country.

One of the first countries in Europe to establish a quality assurance system for its educational institutions, Scotland’s education framework is subject to rigorous scrutiny by the Government. Students are therefore assured that they are getting the very best on offer. Now, the Universities of Scotland and the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) have recently signed a Memorandum of Understan-ding (MoU) for greater collaboration between the two in the field of higher education. The agreement aims at boosting student and faculty exchange programmes between the two countries, putting in more scholarships for students who want to study in Scotland, more internships and greater collaboration in the field of research and development.

Said Michael Russell, Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, in the Scottish government, “The two bodies will encourage joint degree development and help identify opportunities for enhanced funding to support institutional initiatives.”

The Minister said that Scotland had a world-class educational system, and was looking forward to supporting India’s goals of significantly growing its education sector, enhancing R&D as well as upskilling its workforce to boost sustainable economic growth.

According to IANS reports, a total of 14 Scottish universities and six special higher education institutions form the Universities of Scotland body, while 281 Indian universities form the AIU.
“Scotland has global strengths in key industries such as life sciences, energy, financial and business services, and IT, which are also important to India’s continued growth. Coupled with India’s capabilities in these areas, this will be a mutually beneficial partnership,” Russell said.