A STORYbetween

Flanders and India

CHAPTER 1BEGINNING

S

CHAPTER 2CSLC

VLIR UOS SOUTH INITIATIVE

SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS AT KUVEMPU UNIVERSITY

VLIR UOS OWN INITIATIVE

CHAPTER 3:

ASHA

CHAPTER 4:

INDIA PLATFORM

Europe and India

• 1981: India as a recipient of EU aid• 2008: India and Europe as strategic partners

What does this mean for higher education and research?

Inception of the India Platform:

A platform for collaboration between Europe and India across all sectors of society

The India Platform Vision

A people-to-people relationship:“Connecting the peoples of India and Europe, in the framework of a coherent vision and a relationship of

trust.”

Indian Challenges

Very young population: more than 65% below 35

But

• Deficient education system

• Deficient health care system

• Increasingly unliveable cities

Indian Challenges

• Absence of research culture & teaching-research connection

• Shortage of higher education faculty:

1 million new faculty required for 30% GER

• Distortion of higher education landscape

• Shortage of school teachers: 1 million

European Challenges

25% decline in welfare level

European Challenges2060

1/3 population over 65 in most European

countries (EC eurostat)

• Massive retirement of baby boomers

• Increasing costs of health care systems

• Increasing costs of pension systems

Complementarity

The India Platform Vision

A social translation of globalization:“Globalization does not mean that we should

simply outcompete each other; it can also allow us to help to build on each other’s strengths.”

The India Platform Vision

• A people-to-people relationship: cultural difference and past.

• Exchange and cooperation in all sectors of society.

• Complementarity of problems and solutions.

• Build a consortium in India of “growing institutions”: invest and grow along with them.

• Approach India together with a common vision and strategy.

IP: expansion in regions in India

Karnataka

Gujarat

Maharashtra

Delhi

Hyderabad

KeralaTamil Nadu

Stakeholders, partners and members

Stakeholders, partners and members

Stakeholders Europe:

Ghent University Hospital

University of Antwerp

University of Aveiro

University of Groningen

University of Pardubice

NP-Bridging

Preferred PartnersHasselt University

Associate Members

University College Ghent

Futureproofed

University of Twente

Wageningen University and Research Centre

Stakeholders, partners and members

Stakeholders India

Gokula Education Foundation

Alva’s Education Trust

BMS College of Engineering

B.N.M. Institute of Technology

Institute of Finance and International Management

Jyothy Group

Amrita V. V. University

Preferred Partners

Valdel Engineers & Constructors Pvt Ltd

Associate Members

The Academy for Creative Teaching

SDM Educational Society, Ujire

Karnataka State Women’s University

English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad

Facts and figures

Activities in Europe and India

14stakeholders

8members& partners

+120volunteers

+4700contacts

339Activities

in 2013-14Offices in

Europe and India

Activities

• Research and training

• Facilitation and mediation

• Curricula development

• Organizing ‘ventures visits’

• Conferences

• Network building

• Outreach

• Student and faculty exchanges

HIGHER EDUCATION

BUSINESS

GOVERNMENT

HEALTH CARE

Svagata.eu

Samyoga: matchmaking event

IP Focus Groups

Culture & management

Health care

Liveable cities

School education

Waste management

Some reflections

• Going to India as individual institutions: negligible impact; ‘branding’ fails; one of many (EHEF).

• A common face and common strategy are needed, minimally at the Flemish level; e.g. Vlaams India Platform.

• Together define mutual opportunities and interests: neither development aid nor ‘they know their own needs’.

• Know your partners!