New Delhi, Feb 13: Union Education, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan claimed in his article that the Indian Institute of Technologies ( IITs) made in India are now going international under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ahead of PM Modi's visit to the IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi campus, Pradhan says that IITs going global and IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi as a reaffirmation of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will boost efforts to export the best of Indian education abroad.

On Jan 29, classes commenced at IIT Delhi’s Abu Dhabi campus, a fine example of India-UAE friendship in the field of education. PM Modi’s visit to UAE comes at a time when bilateral relations between India and UAE have been elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Common Vision-

PM Modi and UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's idea of an IIT-Delhi campus in Abu Dhabi was reaffirmation of this strategic engagement. Its actualisation in record time is a significant milestone that attests to both leaders' common vision and priorities. The agreement of early 2022 saw an MoU being signed on July 15, 2023. 

Its campus was set up in no time and classes commenced last month for the first batch. The distance travelled in a very short time exemplifies remarkable bonhomie in India-UAE bilateral relations.

An example of New India's innovation and expertise, the campus is set to serve as an edifice of India-UAE ties in the field of education, reflecting a shared vision for educational excellence, innovation. knowledge exchange and investment in human capital.

Internationalisation goals-

IT-Delhi-Abu Dhabi aligns with internationalisation goals for educational institutions as outlined in New Education Policy. It takes forward recommendations of Radhakrishnan Commission, set up to conceptualise international campuses for institutions like IIT-Delhi and IIT-Madras, whose Zanzibar campus was inaugurated in Nov 2023.

Abu Dhabi campus underscores India's commitment to promptly fulfil its bilateral commitments, reflected in the seamless collaboration between Union ministry of education and Abu Dhabi department of education and knowledge (ADEK).

India pioneered internationalisation of education with Nalanda University, considered "the world's first residential university",where renowned scholars from many countries came and studied.IlTs are carrying forward this legacy.

Tailored curriculum-

 Academic excellence is its the institution's curriculum has been meticulously tailored to align with the region's unique needs and aspirations. Leveraging IIT-Delhi's unparalleled experience in undergraduate and graduate-level teaching and research, the Abu Dhabi campus aims not only to offer top-notch academic programmes but also to diversify its offerings, becominga hub for innovative and region-specific initiatives.

Focus on future-

The inaugural academic programme,Master of Technology in Energy Transition and Sustainability, exemplifies this forward-thinking approach. It addresses the pressing need for clean energy transitions in addressing climate and other sustainability challenges and aims to train students to lead this transition effectively.

The curriculum's multidisciplinary approach integrates technical knowledge with transition management, innovation processes, and energy-sustainability interconnections.

Industry-academia linkages-

This is in keeping with UAE's designating 2023 as Year of Sustainability and hosting COP28 Conference in Dubai. Majority of students in the programme are sponsored by ADNOC, Abu Dhabi's major oil and gas company, as it explores renewables amid an energy transition. This academia-industry interface augurs well for the institute's future.

Al, data analytics, energy and sustainability, and healthcare are at the core of the curriculum. Its research agenda will be aligned with needs of the host country and emerging global challenges.

Quality assurance -

Benchmarking student intake through standardised tests and internships, along with mechanisms of accreditation, periodic curriculum review, and institutional assessments. align with the quality assurance goals highlighted by Radhakrishnan Commission.

Abu Dhabi is more than just a location - it exemplifies seamless and productive bilateral initiative as visualised in Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Cultural melting pot-

Intermingling of cultures, ideas, and perspectives expected on-campus will be critical towards strengthening cultural ties between our peoples as Indian students study side by side with Emirati and international students. Similarly, IIT-Delhi also expects to recruit faculty and staff from UAE and beyond to develop and deliver world-class teaching and research programmes at the Abu Dhabi campus.

Partnership between India and UAE via IIT-Delhi Abu Dhabi campus will train students and researchers for international academic joint ventures. As leading Indian institutions like IIT-Delhi expand their global presence, they contribute to India's reputation as a global leader 'Vishwa Mitra' committed to shared prosperity and the philosophy of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'- the world is one family.
 

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