Shillong: The North-Eastern Hill University is able to connect itself with an islandic nation like Mauritius as part of its objective of internationalization of higher education.
With the avid objective of establishing educational, culture, research and innovation tie-ups within ASEAN nations, QUAD and the Pacific Rim, NEHU is expanding the domain of international cooperation by reaching out to the high Commission of Mauritius.
Prof PS Shukla, Vice-Chancellor held a meeting with Santi Bai Hanoomanjee, High Commissioner of Mauritius to India and her secretaries to discuss the possibilities of wide-ranging collaborations and a Memorandum of Understandings between NEHU and Universities in Mauritius.
Santi Bai Hanoomanjee expressed her full cooperation and support for collaboration with NEHU by bringing into the picture relevant universities from the island nation. Areas like climate change, hydrology, maritime studies, culture and tradition, language and literature, defence and security studies etc are some of the areas in which strong research and teaching collaboration are envisaged.
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As part of NEHU’s effort to internationalise its courses, NEHU proposed students and faculty exchanges through MOUs that can further strengthen the existing interdependence between India and Mauritius. It is further emphasized that Mauritius, being a top partner of India deserves to enjoy more Indian expertise for which NEHU and its unique location in Meghalaya is a very productive option.
In course of the discussion, Santi Bai expressed her desire to visit Meghalaya and NEHU. To this Prof PS Shukla has noded in the positive and stated that NEHU is prepared to kickstart joint collaborative ventures with the auspicious visit of the High Commissioner.
The unique location of Meghalaya and its natural and cultural resources has been presented by Prof PS Shukla as the point of mutually beneficial economic, scientific and trade-related exchanges. Both sides agreed on starting off with academic and research partnerships to bring together Meghalaya’s unique pool of indigenous knowledge systems and Mauritius’s technological advancements in areas like livelihood, farming, forestry and other measures for a sustainable future. It is mooted that the Universities of Mauritius shall actively join up with various relevant departments and centres of NEHU to explore the possibilities of dual degrees, twinning degrees and manpower preparation and planning.
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A comprehensive strategy of mutual development and progress is being worked out which is expected to lead to quicker facilitation and signing of MoUs. The High Commissioner expressed satisfaction at this meaningful discussion with Prof Shukla being assisted by second secretaries of the High Commission of Mauritius in India.
In the coming days, the visit of the Mauritius High Commission to Meghalaya and NEHU is expected and with it, a new chapter of international collaboration between NEHU and Mauritius shall open up much to the benefit of India and Mauritius. The newly created Office of International Affairs of NEHU is on its way to clinching a good deal of academic exchange and collaboration between NEHU and Mauritius.