India-US Higher education summit on October 13

The first ever India-US Higher Education Summit aimed at providing a platform for government and education leaders from both countries to outline their vision for 21st century education engagement will be held on October 13.

The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal would co-chair the summit, an official statement said today.

"The US-India Higher Education Summit will provide a platform for government and education leaders from both countries to outline their vision for 21st century education engagement to a broad cross-section of academics, university presidents and administrators, non-governmental organizations and foundation executives, and association and private-sector leaders," the State Department said in a statement.

An initiative of Secretary Clinton, the Summit will also highlight and emphasise the avenues through which the higher education communities in the US and India have engaged and can further engage in expanded cooperation.

"The United States envisions a robust role for the US and Indian governments in promoting and encouraging the vibrancy and depth of the cooperation between our education sectors," the State Department said.

Besides Clinton and Sibal, who will deliver the opening remarks, the Indian Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao and former US Ambassador to India and President Emeritus of Colorado College Richard Celeste will deliver luncheon remarks.

The Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Sibal will deliver closing remarks.
 On October 12, Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and Sibal will deliver remarks at an reception in honour of the Summit hosted by the US-India Business Council.

Last week in her remarks at the Yale University, Rao had said the India-US relationship in Higher Education Sector is poised to reach a new level.

"India-US cooperation in the field of education is today poised for major expansion. We in India see education as critical for achieving its goals to have inclusive growth and to realize the potential for taking the Indian economy to even higher growth trajectory," Rao said.

"The Indian Government has announced major initiatives for massive expansion and upgradation of the education infrastructure, both in the primary education sector as also higher education," she said.

"The Summit will bring together not just government officials but also academics and entrepreneurs who are engaged in this area and will provide a platform to develop a blueprint for furthering our horizons in this area,” said the
Indian Ambassador.