The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been apprised of theMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Canada. The MoU was signed on 21st February, 2018 in New Delhi.
The MoU aims at fostering cross-border partnerships focused on research excellence and industry-academic collaboration between India and Canada that brings robust innovation gains to both countries.
Igniting collaboration through talent mobility is the core of the partnership. The MoU enables Indian and Canadian researchers to undertake graduate level academic research mobility and cross-border industry-academic cooperation. Under the graduate level academic research mobility programme, both sides intend to support upto 110 Master's and PhD student researchers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields in a three-year period from eligible universities in India to participate in 12 to 24 weeks' research with Canadian university research laboratories. The same number of researchers from Canadian universities will also participate in 12 to 24 weeks' research with research laboratories of eligible Indian universities. Under the cross-border Industry-Academic Cooperation, upto 40 Master's and PhD student researchers in three years from each side participate in 16 to 24 weeks' research with industry partners located in the counterpart country.
The collaboration is expected to lead to new knowledge creation, joint scientific publications, Industrial exposure, IP generation, etc. This MoU will further strengthen the long-standing relationship in Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation with Canada.
MoU with France for boosting education
An Agreement to facilitate Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the French Republic has been signed during the recent visit of French dignitaries to India.
Signing of MoU with a foreign country is not a unilateral course of action and verily depends on various factors viz. education system prevailing in that country, response of the foreign country, bilateral relations, mutual benefit to be accrued by signing such kind of MOUs, etc. In some cases it can materialize soon whereas in other cases it may not materialize or take time. In other words, agreement with a country evolves during the course of negotiations and as such it cannot be predicted/planned in advance.
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