PM announces Education Initiative with India

Prime Minister John Key announced today an agreement between India and New Zealand to progress a joint Prime Ministerial Education Initiative between the two countries.

The New Zealand-India Education Initiative is a jointly-funded programme to enhance bilateral cooperation in higher education, research, and skills development.

There will also be a focus on building knowledge and awareness among young business leaders from both countries through scholarships and internships in each other’s business schools and industrial enterprises.

The total funding for the initiative is expected to be NZ$1 million per year with both New Zealand and India contributing equally.

“New Zealand’s education relationship with India has gone well beyond just student recruitment,” says Mr Key.

“This initiative aims to strengthen that relationship even further and increase academic links between our countries and open up opportunities to collaborate on education services.”

To deliver on the initiative, the Prime Ministers have established an Education Council.

“This provides a mechanism for India to bring together a range of education and skills-development funding agencies and provides New Zealand with a simplified one-stop-shop to deal with.

“This will promote a close and collaborative government relationship and foster more involvement by our respective sectors. I look forward to seeing the Council becoming a flagship of the relationship between our two countries.”

The visit to India by Mr Key provides an opportunity to broaden and deepen the bilateral education relationship between the two countries.

It is also an opportunity to promote New Zealand’s world-class higher education and research facilities and technical and vocational education capabilities while supporting engagement with Indian institutions, research organisations, and education businesses.

Related Documents

Education Initiative Q&A (pdf 37.66 KB)