Dharmendra Pradhan to discuss educational collaborations with Singapore

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced on Sunday that he aims to strengthen collaboration and explore mutual interests in the education sector with Singaporean ministers during his upcoming meetings. He is currently in Singapore, kicking off a seven-day two-nation visit to Singapore and Australia from October 20 to 26, focused on fostering cooperation, participation, and synergy in education.

In Short

• Dharmendra Pradhan explores education cooperation with Singaporean ministers
• Focus on PhD programmes and AI integration in educational syllabi
• Pradhan emphasises India's potential as a hydrogen exporter to global markets

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced on Sunday that he will explore opportunities for enhanced cooperation and mutual interests in the education sector during his upcoming discussions with Singaporean ministers.

Pradhan arrived in Singapore, marking the first stop of his seven-day visit to Singapore and Australia from October 20 to 26. The visit aims to foster collaboration, engagement, and synergy in key educational areas.

"I am here to explore more possibilities of mutual interest in the area of education, such as PhD programmes among others and futuristic areas like Artificial Intelligence and biotechnology," he told PTI after addressing some 500 members of the Indian diaspora over lunch.

Singapore shares a natural synergy with the Indian market, and "we will deepen our engagement with the city-state in the future," the minister stated.

During his two-day visit to Singapore, Pradhan will meet with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

He is also scheduled to visit the prestigious National University of Singapore and a local secondary school to explore opportunities for syllabus integration with a focus on AI.

During his visit, the minister will engage in discussions with academicians and distinguished alumni from IITs and IIMs, as well as other prominent representatives, to exchange insights on the education ecosystems of both countries.

During his address to the Indian diaspora, Pradhan emphasised that India is poised to lead the global economy over the next two decades, attributing this to its foundation as a knowledge-driven society. He highlighted that with global finance, business, and the economy increasingly centred around knowledge, India naturally stands at the forefront of this shift.

Pradhan highlighted India's advancement, stating that the country is on track to produce millions of tonnes of hydrogen, positioning itself as a crucial alternative energy source for global markets. He emphasized that India is set to become a major exporter of hydrogen to the international energy sector.

He also emphasised the country's strength as a leading digital economy, which is supported by its advanced digital payment systems.

Furthermore, he pointed out the decisive and stable government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which provides policy certainties that instil confidence in the global investor community.

(With inputs from PTI)