US official leads educational delegation to India

Washington, Mar 24: Ahead of her departure for India, US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes has said the United States and India are ''engaging more actively and constructively than ever on a wide range of issues'' and that ''our educational partnership is critical.'' ''America wants to open its doors even wider to students from India, and we want more American young people to travel to India to study and learn,'' she said in an interview published in an official publication.

She said, India is already number one in the world, in sending students to the United States for higher education and we want to build on this strength for the benefit of the next generation of Indians and Americans.

She said, her March 26-29 trip to India is meant, ''to strengthen our collaboration.'' Hughes' delegation includes Thomas A Farrell, deputy assistant secretary of state for academic programmes, and six university presidents from across the United States, John J Bowen, Johnson and Wales University, Mark A Emmert, University of Washington, Margaret B Lee, Oakton Community College, John M Lilley, Baylor University, James L Oblinger, North Carolina State University, and Eileen Wilson-Oyelaran, Kalamazoo College.

The group will meet academic, government and business leaders and students to communicate the diversity of opportunities American higher education offers and expand educational partnerships with Indian universities and students.

''Students recognise that global challenges demand global solutions, and international higher education needs to respond to this knowledge imperative,'' she said.

Hughes said, ''students want access to universities. They want global skills from these institutions, and look for freedom of mobility to enable them to move from one institution to another, and one nation to another, collaborating across disciplines, faculties and borders.'' She said Indian and American parents alike want their children to be well prepared for the challenges in a changing world. Not only do they ''believe education is key to building a better life,'' they ''are urging educational institutions to expand the scope of affordable education options, broadening our students' opportunities to succeed,'' Hughes said.

UNI