Top Indian Universities & Colleges Can Now Opt for International Academic & Research Collaborations

Top 100 Indian education institutions in the national rankings or the top 500 in global rankings, including universities and colleges, will be able to connect with international institutions for academic and research collaborations through an automatic route, the University Grants Commission of India has announced through its draft rules.

After the draft rules are completed and implemented, they will pave the way for more cooperation between Indian and international institutions, Erudera reports.

These draft rules were created after the Union budget stated that to promote the enhanced academic collaboration with international higher educational institutions, a regulatory mechanism needs to be implemented. The latter can then allow dual degrees, joint degrees, and twinning arrangements.

The draft rules will allow credit recognition and transfer, joint degree programmes; dual degree programmes; and twinning arrangements.

“To be considered under the automatic mode, the collaborating higher education institutions must” be accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council with a minimum score of 3.01 on a scale of four 4, or it “must figure in the top 100 in University category of National Institutional Ranking Framework,” the draft rules add.

In addition, it has been said that if a particular institution is recognized as an institute of eminence under the world-class university initiative, it will be allowed to choose a collaboration with the top 500 universities of Times Higher Education World University Ranking or QS World University ranking.

The first fifth institutions with more scores included in India Rankings 2020 are:

• Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, Karnataka
• Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, Delhi
• Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal

The draft rules have also highlighted that any study or research programs that could compromise the country’s national security and territorial integrity will not be provided.  

Moreover, it has been concluded that Indian higher education institutions should have an office for international affairs, which will be responsible for cooperative activities and will work as a single-point contact regulator. In the beginning, the latter will allow partnerships for five years.

Besides, it has been stressed that most procedures will be carried out online in order to contribute to reducing in-person visits and inspections.

The University Grants Commission is a statutory organization of the Government of India dealing with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of teaching, examination and research in university education.