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Indo - French Bilateral Educational Cooperation

Bilateral cooperation in the field of education and research has been institutionalized through a MoU on an Indo-French Educational Exchange Programme (IFEEP) signed in 2007 which is monitored through a Joint Working Group (JWG) between the Ministry of Human Resource Development( www.education.nic.in/ )  in India and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs( www.diplomatie.gouv.fr ) .  The current status of this collaboration is vibrant and with a growing desire to intensify it both within the governmental framework and outside it, among Universities and academic institutions.  The last meeting of the JWG was held in Paris (March 2009) when discussions were held on addressing the issue of mutual recognition of degrees, bolstering the research programmes, the Indo-French cyber university and student scholar research mobility through a flexible visa regime.

Separately an MoU on Indo-French Consortium of Universities (IFCU)( www.ujf-grenoble.fr )  which was signed in January 2008 between the Association of Indian Universities and its French counterparts the French Conference des Presidents des Universités ( www.cpu.fr )   and the Conference des Ecoles d’Ingenieurs ( www.cdefi.fr)  ( has aimed at promoting student and faculty movement between India and France.  So far eight academic cooperation programmes have been set up under the supervision of the IFCU.  These include:

  • (a) UJF Grenoble ( www.ujf-grenoble.fr )  – Delhi University:( ( www.du.ac.in )  Master’s degree in nuclear engineering, Master’s in Nanosciences and nanotechnologies
  • (b) UJF Grenoble – Anne University Chennai ( www.annauniv.edu ) : Master’s in nanosciences and nanotechnologies
  • (c) UJF Grenoble – IISC Bangalore( www.iisc.ernet.in ) : International Master’s in computer sciences
  • (d) Paris (Paris Tech Universite Paris Sud ( www.paristech.fr ) , Centrale-Supelec( www.supelec.fr ) , INSTN ( www-instn.cea.fr )   – Delhi University: dual master’s degree in nuclear energy
  • (e) Ecole Polytechnique( www.polytechnique.edu )  – University of Kolkata( www.caluniv.ac.in ) : Agreement of cooperation in Nanosciences and nanotechnologies
  • (f) Ecole Polytechnique-IISC Bangalore: Agreement of coopeation in fluids mechanics
  • (g) GEM ( www.gemtech.fr )  -VIT Pune ( www.vit.edu )

 

During the year 2009-2010 fifteen scholarship were granted to members of the consortium.  The French Embassy in India has separately earmarked forty scholarships for the IFCU ( www.ujf-grenoble.fr ).

One of the most important initiatives in the field of education has been the cooperation on the new IIT in Rajasthan( www.iitj.ac.in ) . Following the last visit (December 4-7, 2010) of President Sarkozy to India, a Letter of Intent was finalized for cooperation on IIT-R. Under this, a French Consortium comprising higher education & research institutes will send faculty members / experts / academicians / students for research or teaching for a period of at least half a semester to IIT-R. The French partners will contribute towards the establishment of five centres of excellence /research laboratories in priority fields like renewable energy, systems engineering, art, conservation and heritage at IIT-R.

An MoU between Indian Institute of Technology ( Khargpur ( www.iitkgp.ac.in ) , Bombay( www.iitb.ac.in ) , Chennai( www.iitm.ac.in ) , Kanpur ( www.iitk.ac.in ) , Delhi( www.iitd.ac.in ) , Guwahati ( www.iitg.ac.in )  and Roorkee ( www.iitr.ac.in ) )  and Paris Tech( www.paristech.fr ) - a consortium of Grand Ecoles, on faculty/student exchange and joint research was signed during the visit of President Sarkozy to India in December 2010.  Another MoU between IIT- Bombay and Group des Ecole des Mines as well Institut Telecom( www.institut-telecom.fr ) was signed to foster academic/scientific collaboration through faculty/researcher exchange and joint research programmes.

 

Several other aspects of the bilateral cooperation are being actively promoted through the Indo-French Cultural Exchange Programme.  The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)( www.iccrindia.net )  has instituted an India Chair of Sanskrit at Sorbonne University ( www.univ-paris3.fr ) , Paris.

ICCR has established a Sanskrit Chair at Sorbonne University

ICCR has established a Sanskrit Chair at Sorbonne University

An MoU was signed on 2ndMarch 2011 between Sciences Po ( www.sciencespo.fr ) and ICCR for the creation of ICCR Short Term Chair.   Under this MoU the holder of the Chair would impart courses in Indian studies/Indian economy/Humanities & Social Sciences/Law at the undergraduate level and/or at the graduate level.  The holder of the Chair would also deliver a public lecture called ‘Contemporary India Lecture Series’.  The MoU would be in effect for a period of four terms beginning 2011 to 2015.

icc2

(Copyright Sciences Po)

Chair of Indian studies established by ICCR at Sciences Po

Joint research in the field of social sciences is being promoted by the Joint Advisory Council of the Maison de Science de l’Homme (MSH)( www.msh-paris.fr ) and UGC ( www.ugc.ac.in )  /ICCSR ( www.icssr.org ) /ICPR ( www.icpr.in ) / ICHR ( www.ichrindia.org )  who met in Paris in January 2010 to finalize joint research projects, seminars, workshops and exchange of specialists for 2010-2011.

 

A number of scholarships are being offered by the French government to Indian students for studying French language, S&T, IT, Hotel Management, Public Administration, Fine Arts, Mass Communication, etc. Some of the scholarships offered include

Indo -French education cooperation is also being promoted within the framework of the ARCUS programme.( www.u-psud.fr )  This cooperation involves between laboratories of the following institutes in Ile-de-France region with Indian scientific institutes.  These include:


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