10 million dollars grant to boost India-Australia education ties

MELBOURNE: Australia today announced a 10 million dollars grant to unlock the potential in research and education with India in areas like science, biotechnology and climate change.

Australia's Minister for Higher Education Kim Carr made the announcement along with visiting Human Resources Development Minister M Pallam Raju, who is here to influence Australian universities and vocational institutions to forge closer ties.

Carr said the additional 10 million AU dollars (almost $ 9.21 million) will come from the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF), which covers joint research in science, technology, biotechnology and climate change.

It also offers fellowships for Australian researchers to work in India.

"Skills development is a global business and knowledge is a global commodity," Sydney Herald quoted Carr as saying.

"Education unlocks the great doors of inequality. Our partnership with India will enable us to provide the keys that will open those doors."

The funding is an extension of the AISRF's original commitment in 2006 of $ 64 million over 10 years, after an evaluation found it had been highly effective.