11 November 2019: The University of Canberra and Chandigarh University today launched the Indo-Australian Centre for Advanced Studies at the Chandigarh campus on the outskirts of Chandigarh, capital of Punjab state, India.
The Centre was officially opened by Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Canberra, Professor Deep Saini, and Vice-Chancellor of Chandigarh University, Dr R. S. Bawa, in the presence of the Australian High Commissioner to India, Her Excellency, Harinder Sidhu on Monday 11 November 2019.
The dedicated building will provide a unique pathway for Indian students to access the world-class education of the University of Canberra—ranked in the Top 1% of universities globally—through the experiential learning of Chandigarh University.
“This sector-leading approach to international partnerships allows students to study Chandigarh University courses that have University of Canberra syllabus embedded within them, before completing their studies here in the capital of Australia,” said Professor Saini, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Canberra. “This important partnership invests in strengthening education ties with India to deliver a range of degrees at a lower cost for a quality education.”
The collaboration will cover teaching, administration support and research development. The University of Canberra will share its curriculum and pedagogic expertise with Chandigarh University, leading to strong articulating students in subsequent years.
There is a focus on business and IT in the initial instance, expanding as the program takes hold. The Centre is expected to attract students not only from Punjab, but also from all over India and the wider region. The articulation pathway is expected to deliver 25-50 Indian students in 2020 growing to 100-150 over the next couple of years.
There will also be opportunities for Australian students to go on short study tours to Chandigarh; the University of Canberra has received three years of New Colombo Plan funding to support this aspect of the arrangement.
“The impact of this collaboration will live on well after these students have completed their degrees. It will create a bridge between our countries, allowing Australian and Indian students to better understand each other and to forge the strong people-to-people links that are the bedrock of a strong bilateral relationship,” said Her Excellency, Harinder Sidhu, Australian High Commissioner to India.
“It will build on both universities’ strong reputation for industry links and high employment outcomes,” said Dr Bawa, Vice-Chancellor of Chandigarh University. “This is a special collaboration between two young but ambitious universities and shows the dedication of both universities to providing innovative international education solutions.”
