Encouraging Indian students to go to Australia for quality education, than pursuing subjects linked to permanent residency, building on the ongoing research collaboration in science and technology and bringing vocational training expertise to India are the areas on which Australia should concentrate, according to the head of the Australia-India Council (AIC).
“If, as a result of our quality education, these students are eligible to stay in Australia, that's fine. But the main purpose is that they get a quality education, that they can go back with the skills to their country,” John McCarthy, former High Commissioner of Australia and now Chair of the Council, said in an interview to The Hindu .
Mr. McCarthy noted that there was a considerable fall in the number of Indian students going to Australia since suspected racist attacks on some of them raised concern over a year ago. He said the numbers really did not matter, but Australia was bound to give quality education to foreign students who sought it.
The AIC, which has been working since 1992 to broaden the ties between the two nations by promoting and supporting activities that increased mutual understanding, would encourage more science and technology research, an area where significant cooperation is already on.
Since its inception in 2006, the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund has supported more than 70 joint projects, involving researchers and institutions in both countries, in renewable energy, nanotechnology, agricultural research and biotechnology.
Mr. McCarthy called for greater mutual engagement in vocational education, but cautioned that it was not about bringing people to Australia to study vocational courses.
“We should have a system by which Australian vocational techniques are brought to India. It is clearly more economical, and this is an area in which we have systems that we think the government of India acknowledges are interesting and pertinent.”
Joint efforts by both countries were on, according to David Holly, Australia's Consul-General in Chennai, to identify areas of skill shortage in India so as to strengthen collaboration in the vocational sector.
Mr. McCarthy believes that the huge Indian market, growing between 8 and 9 per cent, means that huge opportunities are available for foreign traders and businesses. “Particularly for Australia, there are real opportunities here,” he said, referring to the mining sector.
Conceding that there were a whole set of factors relating to the subject, including the impact on local tribes and environmental concerns, he said there was scope for investment, given Australia's capacity as a miner and India's need for resources.
India was Australia's third biggest export market, Mr. McCarthy noted, and it could benefit from Australia's capacity in other areas such as food storage and even the financial sector.
“The Australian financial sector is stronger than commonly imagined,” he said, expressing the hope that India would do more to further free up banking and insurance.
The AIC will mark its 20{+t}{+h} anniversary in 2012 by focussing on cultural activities — not merely fine arts but also popular culture — besides science and sport.
