Germany and India are determined to further expand their cooperation in higher education, research and technology - dynamic core areas of the Indo-German Partnership - and to open up new and innovative areas of cooperation. To this end, Germany and India have agreed for a new jointly funded programme called ‘Indo-German Strategic Partnerships in Higher Education' (IGSP), which aims to intensify existing partnerships between German and Indian institutions of higher education. The programme will focus on establishing joint research projects that will include joint supervision as well as student and academic exchanges.
Expressing their continued commitment to intensify and further enhance the level of science and technology collaboration, the two countries have agreed to jointly fund the Indo-German Centre for Sustainability (IGCS) established at IIT Madras. The activities of the Centre are directed towards building resilient systems in the face of climate change as well as enhance strategic knowledge in key areas of climate change. It will conduct research, technology development, training and knowledge dissemination including social and institutional barriers that can also help towards developing policy guidelines in a set of priority areas relevant to the changing climate system. The IGCS at IIT-Madras will host visiting scientists and researchers from German universities for four years under support by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
One of the biggest problems faced in India is the scarcity of skilled workers. How can associations like VDMA help on this front?
VDMA in association with Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the facility management (FM) industry in India have developed an innovative skill development program to promote skills in cleaning sector in India. On 18th June, 2013, the inauguration of the German supported skill development program ‘Facility Care and Maintenance' was organised with an objective to harness cleaning sector skills for Indian facility management.
Further the VDMA member companies in India are putting in considerable efforts in training, skill development and skill enhancement. Some of the members have even tied up with educational institutes and even supplied laboratory equipment free of charge for the benefit of students.
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