20 October 2022

37th AUN-BOT Meeting: ASEAN-India Cooperation Strengthens through Scholarship Schemes

By
AUN Writer Team

By: Chanya Chinsukserm & Patitin Lertnaikiat, AUN Programme Officers

At the 37th AUN Board of Trustees Meeting, Jayant N. Khobragade, Ambassador of the Republic of India to ASEAN, presented to the Meeting regarding ASEAN and India’s continued relationship that has reached its 30th anniversary. For 30 years, ASEAN and India have cooperated together to form a very close partnership in order to continue providing student exchange programs and knowledge sharing. 

India continues to grow as one of the world’s largest democracies, and in collaboration with ASEAN, has recently launched the ASEAN-India Network of Universities (AINU) project, which will take place from 2022 to 2026. The project focuses on these areas: Engineering, Science and Technology, Policy and Lawmaking, Trade and Investments, Peace and Security, Sustainable Development, Humanities, Religion, Cultural Intersections, and Blue Economy. 

The establishment of AINU will further expand the collaborations of higher education institutions within ASEAN-India which will improve the sharing of knowledge and resources as well as better facilitate student exchanges. In order to achieve this, AINU will be launching their Faculty Exchange Program, which involves the exchange of faculty members from participating institutions from India and ASEAN Member States. The duration of the exchange will be one semester, and faculty members will be required to offer courses and undertake joint or collaborative research. Such a program will enable ASEAN-India to exchange knowledge, expertise, skills, and bring in dynamism. 

AINU: Nodal Agency - Nalanda University

Dr. Kishore Kumar Dhavala, Deputy Dean of International Students presented in the Meeting that Nalanda University (India) is also facilitating a Scholarship Program for students pursuing PhDs, Masters, and PG Diplomas. Nalanda University has been a renowned seat of knowledge for over 700 years. It aims to create a new generation of thought leaders and enable capacity building through the amalgamation of ancient Asian wisdom and intellectual traditions with emerging knowledge ecosystems. From 2022 onwards, the Scholarship Program will accept 50 students per year, with 10 reserved for PhDs and 40 for Masters or MBAs. The program will cover the following costs:

  • International and domestic airfare
  • Travel in host country and local transfers
  • Visa and insurance
  • Accommodation and subsistence allowance
  • per Diem and other allowances

This scholarship, in conjunction with AINU’s Faculty Exchange Program, will bolster the capabilities of student exchanges within ASEAN-India.

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) - Doctoral fellowship in India for ASEAN (DIA)

Dr. Ankush Agrawal, Associate Professor of Economics of IITs presented the distinguished scholarship for doctoral fellowship programs. The faculty at IITs comprises leaders from industry and academia. IITs have a strong network of faculty along with alumni with significant research and industry contributions. IITs also demonstrate state-of-the-art infrastructural facilities to perform research at the highest levels alongside excellent peer groups with passion and ability. Comprehensive support platforms foster entrepreneurship and nurture technology start-ups.

DIA can be a good platform to start education and technology cooperation between AUN and IIT collaborative research. For the first time ever, IITs have opened up an exclusive fellowship program for ASEAN students with the largest capacity development program undertaken by India for non-Indian nationals. The scholarship is funded by the Government of India to pursue a PhD at any of the 23 Indian Institutes of Technology. Four rounds of applications have been opened so far. For more information of DIA, visit https://asean-iit.in/why-choose-iit/

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Dr. Kishore Kumar Dhavala, Deputy Dean of International Students, Nalanda University (India)

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Dr. Ankush Agrawal, Associate Professor of Economics of IITs

Moving forward, having programs and projects for student exchanges and knowledge sharing will be crucial to creating a new intellectual space through the ASEAN-India Network of Universities. Strengthening relations will aid in reaffirming the millennia-old civilizational and cultural linkages between Southeast Asia and India. The programs and projects that are to come from ASEAN-India will further deepen this broad-based partnership to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.