Thirty years ago, in 1994, Deakin University broke ground by being the first international university to set up a campus in India and in 2024 the university proudly celebrates an unmatched legacy of engagement with India. To mark this milestone, Deakin celebrated with a series of events along with announcements to build new partnerships and initiatives in alignment with India’s National Education Policy (NEP 2020).
A Legacy of ‘In India, with India, for India’
The inaugural opening of Deakin's GIFT City Campus, the first international university branch campus, marked the start of this seminal year. With the strategic approach of ‘In India, With India, For India’, Deakin University is aligning its broader goal of ‘internationalisation of higher education and research in India’ as conceived by the NEP.
K Sanjay Murthy, Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, commended Deakin's enduring support at the celebratory event. "We look forward to greater collaboration with Deakin University in terms of partnership in Research and Development, especially considering the Government of India's initiatives in this direction," he stated.
Acknowledging Deakin’s foresight and commitment to partner with India, H.E Philip Green OAM, Australian High Commissioner encouraged the collaboration by saying, “As India strides toward becoming a global power, Deakin’s commitment to growing with this nation positions us at the forefront of a historic transformation.” Chancellor of Deakin University, John Stanhope AM echoes these sentiments.
Celebrating Milestones and Forging New Alliances
The series of celebratory events began with the NextGen Changemakers Conclave in partnership with International Development Program to empower India’s youth. Networking events like Bilateral Connect and Deloitte- South Asia partnered Paving the Path to India’s Transformation contributed to strengthening ties and research. Notable dignitaries from the High Commission and Embassies to multi-national companies lent their support to the events. Dr Vidya Yeravedkar, Pro-Chancellor of Symbiosis International University, and Dr Raghunath Mashelkar, a distinguished leader in Science and Technology were awarded honorary doctorates for their distinguished contributions to education at the conclave.
Among the notable attendees who lent their support to the events were Ambassador Nicholas McCaffrey, Australian Deputy High Commissioner to India, Ambassador Anil Wadhwa, and Dr S Ramadorai, former Vice-Chairman of TCS. Mathew Johnston, Minister & Counsellor, Education and Research at the Australian High Commission, and Dr Monica Kennedy, Minister, Commercial & Head, South Asia, Australian Trade and Investment Commission shared their thoughts and acknowledged the success of the Australia India partnership.
Building on 30 Years of Partnership with a Vision for the Future
Proud of Deakin University’s long-term commitment to empowering Indian students through accessible education and innovative research, John Stanhope highlighted Deakin's substantial investment of over 50 million Australian dollars in India. The university’s extensive network of over 50 strategic partnerships underscores the engagement for growth and impact in India, having already supported over 25,000 alumni, awarded 70 scholarships, and provided 150 research fellowships.
He further announced initiatives to deepen the university’s impact in India with training and skill-building programs with the department of education and National Skill Development Corporation. To foster innovation in sports, the university is partnering with prominent sports foundations across the country.
Among the initiatives is to partner with the disaster management authorities and promote research especially to promote solutions for marginalized communities.
With their first cohort from the GIFT City Campus having begun in June 2024, their plans of expanding to 500 students and offering executive development programs and short courses in collaboration with International Financial Services Centre aims to bolster regional development.
Looking forward together
Reflecting on the milestone, Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Engagement) and CEO (South Asia) at Deakin, remarked, “Today we write the next chapter of our journey with India and the initiatives announced today reaffirm our commitment to expanding opportunities for Indian students, researchers, and industry leaders. We look forward to contributing significantly to India’s growth story.”