U.S.-India Joint Fact Sheet: U.S.-India Cooperation In Higher Education
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
June 24, 2013
The United States and India and share strong linkages and a history of collaboration in the field of higher education.
The United States is the most favored destination for Indian students, with more than 100,000 Indian students pursuing
higher studies in the United States. In response to strong interest among academic communities in both countries, we
convened a highly successful U.S.-India Higher Education Summit in Washington D.C. in October 2011 that ultimately led
to the establishment of an annual bilateral Higher Education Dialogue.
U.S.-India Higher Education Dialogue
The annual Higher Education Dialogue was originally held in June 2012 in Washington, D.C. and is being held in New Delhi
on June 25, 2013. Key areas of collaboration include student and faculty exchange, research cooperation, implementing
technology-enabled education strategies such as e-learning and online courseware, cooperation between community
colleges, and facilitating partnerships between Indian and American universities.
Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative Awards
President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative in
November 2009 to fund institutional partnerships between Indian and U.S. institutions of higher education, through
faculty exchanges and research and innovation collaboration in the priority areas of food security, climate change,
sustainable health and public health. Each side has committed $5 million for the initiative, which will grant awards of
up to $250,000 to selected projects. Eight projects were selected in the first round of awards in 2012 and eight awards
are being announced during the second Higher Education Dialogue in New Delhi on June 25, 2013.
Fulbright-Nehru Partnership
The Fulbright-Nehru program, supported by both governments, has nearly tripled in size over the last four years, with
approximately 300 students and scholars from the United States and India participating annually. The United States now
exchanges more faculty under this program with India than with any other country in the world. The Fulbright Program and
related exchanges with India have benefited more than 18,000 American and Indian students and scholars since 1950.
Raman Fellowships
The C. V. Raman Fellowship program, announced during the Higher Education Summit in 2011, aims to place junior faculty
members from India for post-doctoral research in U.S. higher education institutions. The first cohort of 126 Raman
Fellows will conduct post-doctoral research in different U.S. institutions beginning in August 2013.
Development of Community Colleges
The Ministry of Human Resource Development has finalized a framework for establishing community colleges in India. A
high-level Indian delegation visited the United States in May 2012 to study the community college system. The Ministry
of Human Resource Development organized an International Seminar on Community Colleges in New Delhi on February 6-7,
2013. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara Sonenshine led a delegation that included
representatives from U.S. community colleges to attend the seminar. The American Association of Community Colleges
continues to facilitate cooperation and overall capacity–building efforts between Indian and American partner
institutions. Beginning later this year, the United States intends to host a series of delegations of community college
leaders from India to the United States for professional development and capacity building.
New UGC Regulations Relating to Foreign Education Providers and Twinning Arrangements
The University Grants Commission (UGC) of India has finalized guidelines for twinning arrangements between Indian and
foreign educational institutions. The guidelines will facilitate greater collaboration between Indian and U.S.
universities.
Connect India Program
The ‘Connect India Program’ was announced during the U.S.-India Higher Education Dialogue held in June 2012. It
envisages placement of 200 U.S. students at Indian education institutions for a semester of study. Their course of study
will be integrated with other activities, including exposure to Indian culture and economy, service-learning with
corporate entities and interaction with political representatives. The details are being finalized by the University
Grants Commission of India in consultation with Indian universities.
Centre of Excellence on Cyber Systems
India is collaborating with U.S. institutions to establish a Centre of Excellence on Cyber Systems at the Indian
Institute of Technology, Delhi. An Indian delegation plans to travel to the United States to identify potential areas of
cyber systems collaboration.
India-Support for Teacher Education Program
The India-Support for Teacher Education Program (In-STEP) is a joint project between the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Human Resource Development to build the capacity of teacher educators in India.
This thirty-month, $4.3 million activity plans to send two groups of approximately fifty teachers each from eastern and
northeastern states in India to attend a three-month customized training program at a U.S. university. The training
should include teaching pedagogy, observation of in-service and pre-service teacher education, and assessment
techniques. Every teacher educator would be asked to prepare a long essay which sets forth a clear proposal for reform
of a specific area of teacher education in his/her state or institution. Upon return from the United States, the teacher
educators are expected to implement their new skills and knowledge in their classrooms, resulting in better-trained,
higher quality teachers. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State provides opportunities through its exchanges for
more than 50 U.S. and Indian teachers each year to further develop their subject area expertise and enhance their
teaching skills, pursue individual projects, conduct research, follow courses for professional development, lead master
classes and seminars, exchange teaching assignments and professional duties, or participate in internships at local
schools.
Passport to India
The Passport to India Initiative seeks to increase significantly the number of U.S. students in India. Through
partnerships with the private sector and non-governmental organizations, the Initiative promotes internships,
service-learning and study abroad so more American students have the cultural understanding and language skills that
underpin economic, academic, and social ties, as well as effective diplomacy. The Initiative complements the U.S.
Department of State’s support for more than 170 U.S. university and high school students to study in India and learn
Indic languages each year through its Gilman Scholarship Program, Critical Language Scholarship Program, the National
Security Language Initiative for Youth and the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study Program.
EducationUSA
EducationUSA provides students in India with accurate, comprehensive, and current information about opportunities for
study at accredited institutions in the United States. The U.S. Department of State has significantly expanded its
EducationUSA advising services in India to include more virtual advising, a new mobile app, social media outreach, and a
nationwide advising hotline.
ENDS