Internationalisation is set to give a boost to higher education in Karnataka, with the govt holding bilateral talks with the UK govt on how to expand collaboration.

On the immediate agenda for both govts is the expansion of existing programmes such as Chevening Scholarships and the Scholars for Outstanding Undergraduate Talent (SCOUT) programme. Chevening currently has five recepients from Karnataka, while SCOUT covers 30 students.

The ministers for higher education (MC Sudhakar) and medical education (Sharan Prakash Patil) are in London at the invitation of various universities. The bilateral talks, organised by the British Council, were held on Monday with Professor Sir Steve Smith, the UK govt’s international education champion.

“We already have Harrow School in Bengaluru and the University of Liverpool setting up a campus in the city. Additionally, we’re in talks with one more university and one more school that have expressed interest in opening campuses in Bengaluru. The university has applied to the University Grants Commission. The institutions are keen on Bengaluru,” said Sudhakar. “The possibilities of faculty exchange, twinning programmes, and joint research collaborations were discussed. We hope to start these soon,” he added.

“By allowing in foreign universities, we’re increasing the competitiveness of private and public universities. Additionally, it is a great opportunity for our students to get a degree of the same quality at a lower tuition fee from a foreign university,” he said.

When it was pointed out that the State Education Policy (SEP) does not favour foreign universities in India, the minister clarified that they are yet to review the SEP. “We’re in favour of having foreign universities in our state. We will take a decision on the SEP recommendations soon,” he said.

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At a meeting with representatives of the UK govt, the Karnataka govt proposed holding the Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians (MRCP) exams in Karnataka for student convenience.

The MRCP exam is a postgraduate qualification in internal medicine in the UK. It is conducted in three parts by the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, and the training for the exam is done by the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO). The minister for medical education, Sharan Prakash Patil, proposed the idea to members of BAPIO during his ongoing visit to London, considering the high number of medical graduates from the state.

“With the existing system, our medical graduates need to travel from India to prepare and take MRCP exams. To make it simpler, we have requested BAPIO to train and arrange the conduct of exams in Karnataka itself,” he said.

The minister also discussed the possibilities of collaborative research, training, and innovation in health with the University of Wolverhampton and University of Cambridge. Topics included faculty/student mobility, joint publications, collaborative post-doctoral pathways, and the development of best healthcare practices. A centre of excellence in healthcare decarbonisation for sustainable practices is also being discussed.

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Professor Sir Steve Smith, the UK govt’s international education champion, said, “Karnataka is one of the top pioneering states of India, and we have seen great progress in UK-Karnataka education partnerships, such as Imperial College London opening a new research hub or the University of Liverpool setting up its international branch campus, both in Bengaluru. The long-term objectives of the UK and Karnataka — as well as India — for transnational educational partnerships align as we enter a time of rapid technological change. I look forward to working in close partnership with the Karnataka govt to further deepen our relationship in education and equip young people with the skills they’ll need for the future.”

(The reporter is in London at the invitation of the University of Wolverhampton)