BRICS Nations to Offer Joint Degree Courses

At the eighth meeting of BRICS, education ministers from five countries encouraged working on joint and dual degrees between higher education institutions in the BRICS nations. They have virtually signed a joint declaration to strengthen the academic and research collaboration in higher education.

The ministers considered leveraging digital and technological solutions for ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education as well as enhancing research and academic collaboration. It agreed on facilitating the mobility of students and faculty among BRICS partner states n order to enhance their collaboration in academics and research.

The countries also agreed to facilitate the creation of mechanisms that would allow sharing of knowledge and best practices with each other, as per the official notice. These could include seminars, policy dialogues, interactions with experts, to name a few.

Chairing the meeting was Sanjay Dhotre, Union Minister of State for Education, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology. He said that while India realises the potential of digital and technological solutions for achieving the goal of inclusive education, there is a need to reduce and eventually eliminate the digital divide that includes disparity in access to digital resources, especially in the case of socially and economically disadvantaged population groups. In this context, he said that India is rapidly expanding digital infrastructure through the Digital India Campaign and FTTH connectivity.

He highlighted that online learning and digital delivery of education have emerged as important means for achieving education sector development goals and targets set by each BRICS country.

Dhotre said that the importance of multilateral cooperation, especially among the BRICS nations, for harnessing the full potential of education. He also pointed out the initiatives made in the country for providing access to quality education through multi-modal means under PM eVidya. He also spoke of SWAYAM MOOCs platform, SWAYAM PRABHA TV Channels, DIKSHA, and virtual labs.

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