Education Minister Pralhad Joshi meets French counterpart, proposes an IIT campus in Italy

Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi met French Education Minister Philippe Baptiste during Joshi's recent visit to India from September 28 to September 30. The two ministers discussed expanding student and faculty mobility, strengthening institutional partnerships, and advancing collaborations in higher education, research, and innovation. Joshi proposed the idea of establishing an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campus in Nice, Italy.

Both countries explored expanding student and faculty mobility, institutional linkages, collaborative academic programmes, and exchanges. French higher educational institutions were invited to consider opening branch campuses in India, particularly in GIFT City, Gujarat, and in places where French companies have a presence and require skilled human resources. The ministers also discussed revising the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications (MRQ) agreement and leveraging digital education to enhance access to quality learning.