India and Bhutan on Friday agreed to collaborate on the “noble objectives” of the establishment of Nalanda University in Bihar to develop the institution as an international centre of excellence.
The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard in Thimphu after President Pranab Mukherjee held talks with Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
According to the MoU, signed by Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh and her Bhutanese counterpart Yeshey Dorji, Nalanda University will be located at Rajgir in Bihar and will have the power to confer degrees, diplomas and certificates.
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The MoU says the objectives and functions of the university include the establishment “of an international institution of learning that will bring together the brightest and the most dedicated students from all countries irrespective of gender, caste, creed, disability, ethnicity or socioeconomic background.”
According to the MoU, India will provide visa to students, faculty and staff for travel to India to study or work in the university. — PTI