Moving ahead with the aim of revolutionising the roadmap to skill development, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held bilateral talks with Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan on May 30. Union Minister Pradhan is on a three-day visit to Singapore, exploring the scope of bilateral engagement in education and skill development.
“Fruitful conversations on fortifying India- Singapore Knowledge Partnership and taking our multifaceted bilateral cooperation in skill development and education to greater heights with Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs and a dear friend Vivian Balakrishnan,” the Union Minister tweeted.
The Minister further informed about the agreement between both leaders to strengthen bilateral collaboration in education and skill development for mutual benefit as well as to address global demands and challenges in the world of work. He said, “India and Singapore share strong historical, cultural, and civilisational links. Our friendship today is rooted in reciprocity, mutual trust, and respect. Scaling up partnerships in knowledge, skills, and frontier areas will add new dimensions to our long-standing friendship.”
Union Minister Pradhan also interacted with the Indian students at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and gained insights on how to take learning beyond the four walls of the classroom. He spoke about NEP and the immense opportunities it brings for knowledge collaborations and two-way mobility.
World-class global universities must collaborate to create new models
The Minister emphasised that world-class global universities must collaborate to create new models to inspire the 21st century. “Indian universities and NTU can partner, particularly in the areas of AI, FinTech, sustainability, and climate action, for leveraging global opportunities as well as for the welfare of both our countries,” the Minister stated in his tweet.
On May 29, the Union Minister met various key Ministers of the Singaporean government and visited Spectra Secondary School. He also had a constructive meeting with DPM and Minister for Finance, Singapore, Lawrence Wong. During the meeting, it was agreed to work together, aiming to create opportunities for lifelong learning, build a future-ready workforce, and make knowledge and skill development a key pillar of strategic partnership.
He further informed about the steps being taken by the government towards integrating the skills qualification framework with higher education qualification framework. The Minister stressed on learning from the best practices of Singapore, collaborating, and customizing them to meet Indian needs.
Union Minister Pradhan also held a discussion with Singapore's Minister of Trade and Industry, Gan Kim Yong. They conversed on strengthening skill development and vocational training linkages through all mechanisms in order to establish a seamless architecture for lifelong learning. They also discussed how India could benefit from Singapore's expertise and knowledge to overcome common challenges and transform India's skills ecosystem.
