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India-New Zealand sign education cooperation arrangement on education

New Delhi, March 29, 2005

India and New Zealand have signed an Education Cooperation Arrangement (ECA), here today. The ECA was signed by Shri Arjun Singh, Minister for Human Resource Development on behalf of India and Mr. Trevor Mallard, Minister of Education on behalf of New Zealand. 

The Education Cooperation Arrangement is in the form of an umbrella arrangement and provides focused attention to collaboration in the Education Sector between the two countries. The highlights of ECA are:

Ø Exchange of research materials, publications, educational literature, teaching aids, demonstration material and information;

• Organization of joint conference, exhibitions and seminars;
• Organization of joint research programmes and publications;
• Organization of training programmes for educational administrators and teachers;
• Exchange of academic and other administrative staff;
• Exchange of scholars, teachers, experts and students;
• Twinning arrangements between institutions of higher learning;
• Setting up of educational/training programmes between institutions of educational excellence in technical, vocational and higher education;
• Setting up of chairs on contemporary studies;
• Providing scholarships for further education in recognized institutions of higher learning;
• Providing mutual assistance in the fields of IT, computer, mathematics and science;
• Any other activity as agreed by both Governments.

While signing the agreement, Shri Arjun Singh, the Minister for HRD said that this agreement has provided new opportunities of progress. He said that sharing of knowledge is essential in this new paradigm. The Minister assured the visiting counterpart that India is keen on collaboration with New Zealand in the field of Higher Education and other new areas of research. The Minister of Education, Govt. of New Zealand Mr. Trevor Mallard said that the joint collaboration between the two countries would provide greater opportunity to the academicians and students on both the sides. 

The two countries would also undertake the following activities

• Exchange of information on education and training systems and policies in each country, including information relevant to interpretation and evaluation of qualifications;
• Dialogue between officials on matters relevant to this Arrangement, and 
• Within the context of the respective education systems, facilitation of other forms of cooperation as may be mutually determined.

There is a provision for the establishment of a joint Working Group to oversee

the Arrangements. The Joint Working Group will be chaired, on behalf of New Zealand by a representative of the Ministry of Education and on behalf of India by a representative of the Department of Secondary, Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development, with participation by other Government Ministries and sector organizations as appropriate. The Joint Working Group will meet alternately in India and New Zealand at least once biennially or as the participants may otherwise mutually determine, to review the outcomes of the Arrangements. 

The two Ministers agreed to the idea of regular reviews of the programmes under ECA. More specific exchanges under this programme, could take place on the basis of MOUs to be drawn by counterpart institutions in the two countries.

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