The purpose of the MoU is to strengthen the bilateral relations in the field of education between the respective countries.
Some of the main priorities:
- The Parties shall encourage the development of contacts and cooperation between the education institutions of the Parties, based on their respective academic and educational needs. These may include all or some of the following activities:
i. Exchange of research materials, publications, educational literature, teaching aids, demonstration material and information;
ii. Organization of joint conferences, exhibitions, seminars, research programmes and publications;
iii. Organization of training programmes for educational administrators and teachers;
iv. Exchange of academic, other administrative staff, scholars, teachers, experts and students;
v. Twinning arrangements between institutions of learning;
vi. Setting up of educational/training institutions and to further develop bilateral programmes between institutions of educational excellence in basic education, technical, vocational and higher education
vii. Examine the possibility of mutual recognition of educational qualifications;
viii. Setting up of chairs on contemporary studies;
ix. Providing mutual assistance in the fields of information technology, computer science, mathematics & science;
- Both Parties will make available to the other the necessary information concerning their education system, quality assurance, recognition and licensing
- The Parties shall establish a Joint Working Group to concretise this MoU.
Joint Working Group (JWG)
The first JWG meeting under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of higher education was held in Oslo on 13 August 2009 and discussed the implementation of the MoU between India and Norway.
The Meeting agreed that the JWG should take concrete measures in order to develop a mutual understanding of each other’s higher education systems and policies. It was agreed to use the JWG meeting as an arena for knowledge transfer, e.g. that the Parties at each meeting gave presentations on mutually agreed topics.
Among the Indian participants was Mr. Banbit. A. Roy, Ambassador to Norway and Mr. R.P. Agrawal, Secretary (HE), Leader of the delegation, whereas Norway was represented by the Ministry of Education and Research with Mr. Trond Fevolden, Secretary General, Mr. Ole-Jacob Skodvin, Deputy Director General, Department of Higher Education and Ms. Karen Nossum Bie, Deputy Director General, Department of Research.
Thematic priorities in the cooperation
The Meeting discussed whether to make thematic priorities in the higher education cooperation, and agreed on the following priorities:
1. Information Technology
2. Solar and clean energy
3. Computer Sciences
4. Mathematics
5. Environmental and climate studies
The Meeting agreed to establish sub-groups composed of four researchers in the respective fields, two from each country. The Indian Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research will appoint members from their respective countries to the sub-groups.
The broad mandate of each sub-group will be to:
- Work out an action plan for collaboration between higher education institutions within the selected themes
- Organize, through identified higher education institutions, with or without industry participation, workshops and research seminars on the themes and sub-themes
- Identify relevant cooperation activities, e.g. to identify institutions which could cooperate on joint supervision of research at masters’, doctoral and post-doctoral level
- Identify research scholars, students and teachers for exchange and collaboration
- Identify experts from relevant industries both within the two countries or from other countries for collaboration
The sub-groups are responsible for ensuring the connection between higher education and research cooperation, and should coordinate their efforts with processes taking place under the Science and Technology Agreement between India and Norway, where relevant. The sub-groups will report to the Joint Working Group Meeting.
Other priorities:
- Connect higher education and research cooperation by involving the master and Ph.D. level in the research cooperation.
- Encourage increased student mobility between India and Norway
- Next meeting of the JWG will be in India in the spring 2010.
Research
An Agreement was signed on 14 November 2006 between the Governments of India (Minister Sibal) and Norway (Minister Djupedal) on cooperation in Science and Technology. It was decided to initiate a Joint Working Group (JWG).
The Joint Working Group on Science and Technology was established and the first meeting held was held on 14 June 2007 in New Delhi with participation of Acting Secretary General, Ministry of Education and Research (Norway) and Dr Kumar, Department of Science and Technology (India).
The second JWG meeting was held on 14 May 2009 in Oslo. The Programme of cooperation was signed between the Dept of Science and Technology (DST), India, and the Ministry of Education and Research Norway. The JWG has established DST from India and the Norwegian Research Council (NRC) as coordinating agencies for implementing the ambitious research collaboration.
The broad subject areas of cooperation under the current POC shall be:
- Climate research including ocean and arctic/ polar research
- Clean energy
- Geotechnology and early warning systems for geohazards
- Marine research – bioprospecting and polar research
- Nano-science/ technology primarily related to clean energy and solar energy and medical issues
- Vaccines – human and fish/ animal, including vaccination programmes and biotechnology of new vaccine development
In addition to the collaboration led by the Joint Working groups, there is institutional cooperation between India and Norway within the following research areas
1. Natural hazards – Landslides, Tsunami and Earthquakes
2. Climate change impact assessment
- Research on climate change impact on water and hydrology
- Research on Agriculture production and adaptation measures
- Climate modelling
3. Academic research on biodiversity (doctorate and post doctorate research programmes and student exchange activities).
4. Energy – market study and pricing
5. Clean energy
6. Solar energy