Andhra govt, Australia sign MoUs on clean energy, manufacturing, education, skills

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh and Australia on Sunday signed four MoUs covering clean energy, advanced manufacturing, inclusive education, student mental health and skill development, marking a significant expansion of bilateral cooperation in these sectors.

The agreements were signed in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Education, Information Technology and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh and Australia's Assistant Minister for International Education, Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs Julian Hill.

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"These partnerships are a direct outcome of our recent visit to Australia and reflect the growing collaboration between Andhra Pradesh and Australian institutions in education, research, innovation and workforce development," Lokesh said in a release.

The minister said the agreements followed discussions held in Australia with leading universities, research institutions, industry leaders and government representatives, where he showcased Andhra Pradesh's investment-friendly ecosystem and invited Australian institutions to partner with the state.

Under the first MoU, the Andhra Pradesh government's Centre of Excellence for Energy Transition (CoEET), IIT Tirupati and the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney will establish a Centre of Excellence for Solar Manufacturing at IIT Tirupati.

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The proposed centre will focus on advanced solar photovoltaic manufacturing, solar panel recycling, circular economy practices, industry-driven research, faculty development, technology commercialisation and specialised training programmes aimed at positioning Andhra Pradesh as a hub for solar manufacturing and innovation.

The minister said UNSW would support curriculum development, training programmes and research covering solar cell manufacturing, device physics, reliability engineering, recycling, safety, maintenance, ingot manufacturing and wafering technologies.

A second MoU signed between UNSW, Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (SPMVV) and Samagra Shiksha, Andhra Pradesh aims to strengthen inclusive education by enhancing teachers' capacity to educate children with autism and other neurodiverse learning needs through specialised training, professional development and teaching resources.

Under the third agreement, the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) and Australia's Rebound will jointly implement a technology-enabled pilot project to provide confidential mental health resources, wellness assessment tools and virtual counselling services for students in selected higher educational institutions. The pilot programme will be implemented free of cost.

The fourth MoU, signed between the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) and Australia's Dynamic Learning Services (DLS), seeks to strengthen vocational education, workforce development, industry-aligned training, globally recognised professional certifications and international employment pathways.

Earlier, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met the Australian delegation led by Julian Hill and highlighted Andhra Pradesh's economic transformation, investment opportunities and development initiatives.

Naidu felicitated the Australian minister with a traditional shawl and presented him with Araku Coffee and a commemorative memento.