INDO-U.S. Summit on Higher Education, July 30, 31 and August 1, 2010

Shortly before the NAFSA annual conference back in May I was invited to attend the INDO-U.S. Summit on Higher Education of the Indo-American Society by one of the task force members.  Unfortunately, I’m not able to attend but I offered to post to IHEC Blog about the Summit as I think it sounds really interesting and it has received little attention here in the U.S.

The Summit aims at building synergies between Universities abroad and in India so as to create opportunities for better system in India’s Higher Education Programmes. The Event is co-sponsored by Global Knowledge Initiative, Washington, D.C., the Institute of International Education, the U.S. Consulate General, Mumbai, and the American Chamber of Commerce in India among others.  United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has been invited as the Keynote Speaker!  Following is a brief description of the summit that I copied and pasted from one of the conference documents.

Highlights of the Summit

• The Government of India is planning to open avenues for foreign educational institutions by introducing the Foreign Educational Institutions Bill in the Indian Parliament.  This will create new opportunities for several foreign educational institutions keen on opening in India.
• The Hon'ble Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Government of India Shri. KAPIL SIBAL has been invited as Chief Guest

• This Summit is co-sponsored by AMCHAM (American Chamber of Commerce) and supported by USG

• Several Deans and Heads of reputed American and other foreign Universities will participate in this interactive Summit

• From India, Deans and V ice Chancellors of leading Universities will participate

• Leading Speakers from U.S., U.K., reputed Indian Educational Institutes of higher learning and other Institutes from Europe, Switzerland, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan are also being invited

• You can compare notes and explore with WHO'S WHO in Education the world over

You can learn more about the Indo-American Society on their website at  http://www.indoamericansociety.org/.  You can also find a detailed 15 page brochure as well as register for the Summit at http://www.indoamericansociety.org/events.asp.