I welcome the announcement that Deakin University will become the first university in the world to open a teaching campus in India.
Congratulations to Deakin, headquartered in Geelong, for this very significant achievement.
This builds on the long association Australian universities have had with India, including the hosting of hundreds of thousands of Indian students in campuses across our country for many decades, beginning with Robert Menzies’ Colombo Plan in the 1950s.
Deakin’s new campus at Gujarat International Finance Tec City will deliver cybersecurity and business analytics courses to local students and will be the first of many new ventures by Australian universities in India, following the relaxing of regulations for foreign universities.
This is another important step in Australia and India’s deep partnership in higher education and builds on the proud trade and people connections our two countries enjoy.