Published Monday, 8th February 2016 in Study at SRUC news
The SRUC Oatridge campus at Broxburn recently hosted a visit from a high level delegation of educationalists from India.
The group, who were on a study tour in Scotland, included
the Minister of Higher Education of the State of Karnataka and senior advisors
to the Education Ministers of the states of Gujarat and Andhra Paredesh. They
met senior staff from Scotland’s Rural College.
All three Indian states are in the process of educational
reform and on their visit to SRUC the delegation were interested in the
provision of learning, teaching and research in Agriculture. Their visit also
offered the opportunity to discuss areas of further collaboration between India
and the college.
The Scottish model offered by SRUC combines education, from
basic craft skills through to Diploma, Honours Degree and PhD with applied
research and consultancy services for rural communities across the country.
Meeting the visitors were representatives across the College
divisions including Professor Bob Rees, Head of SRUC’s Carbon Management
Centre, Professor Andrew Peters, Assistant Principal International, David
James, Assistant Principal – Head of Education Division and Hannah Earle Payne,
Programme Team Leader – Agriculture SRUC Oatridge. The group was accompanied by
Rittika Parruck, British Council India, and Lucy Young, British Council
Scotland.
After the visit Professor Andrew Peters, who leads SRUC’s
international programme commented:
“We were delighted to host the Minister at Oatridge and
showcase some of SRUC’s key activities in education and research including our
international reach. As one of the
recently emerging economies agricultural productivity is proving key to India’s
economic growth. This meeting was
exciting for us because it offers real possibilities to develop further
collaborations in Indian agriculture. We
see real opportunities across the spectrum in education research and
consultancy”
The International representatives were part of a delegation
invited north by Education Scotland following the Education World Forum in
London at the end of January. They learned about Scotland’s education policy
and practice across schools, colleges and universities. In addition to
agriculture the delegation discussed Aerospace, Curriculum Reform and Teacher
Training.
Before visiting SRUC
Oatridge the group met Cabinet Secretary for Education and Life Long Learning
Angela Constance MSP and Alasdair Allan SP, the Minister for Learning, Science
and Scotland’s Languages. They received briefings from Education Scotland,
Universities Scotland and attended a reception with a wide range of
institutions with an interest in India.
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