Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird reaffirmed Canada\u2019s relationship with India as a \u201cstrategic priority\u201d and celebrated policies already underway to develop partnerships in education between the two countries at the Canada-India Education Summit at Carleton University Friday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe relationship between Canada and India has come so far over the past five years,\u201d said Baird, commending the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India. \u201cWe look forward to accelerating deliverables as part of the Canada-India Memorandum of Understanding in higher education cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The keynote address was presented by Dr. Daggubati Purandeswari, Indian Minister of State for Human Resource Development (Higher Education).<\/p>\n
\u201cEducation can no longer be considered a goal in itself, but rather should be considered a powerful driver of socio-economic change,\u201d she said. Purandeswari focused her remarks on reforms being implemented to improve India\u2019s education system, emphasizing the importance of access for people in poverty and living in less-served rural areas.<\/p>\n
High Commissioner for India to Canada Shashishekhar Gavai noted that India\u2019s high growth rate makes it attractive to foreign investors, but added that \u201cWithout an adequate, educated, and trained workforce, it is very difficult to maintain high economic growth \u2026 I strongly believe that foreign universities can add enormous value to what we would be doing in India.\u201d<\/p>\n
The summit, which brought together nearly 50 Vice Chancellors and Executive Heads from Indian and Canadian universities, is the first event of its kind to bring together educational experts from both countries.<\/p>\n
Individuals in attendance included Allan Rock, president of the University of Ottawa; Kevin Lynch, vice-chair of BMO Financial Group; and Professor M. S. Swaminathan, a major scientific leader of India\u2019s \u201cgreen revolution\u201d in agriculture slated to speak later at the summit.<\/p>\n
The summit runs through today.<\/p>\n