The establishment of Australian university campuses in India is just the beginning and the two countries can now advance knowledge and create endless opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship for students, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Wednesday. Pradhan's statement came during the Australian International Education Conference in Melbourne. "The establishment of Australian university campuses in India is just the beginning, with much more potential to be realised. Together, the countries can advance knowledge, leverage technology for global challenges, and create endless opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship for the students," he said.

The minister also said as a 'Vishwa-Bandhu', India is committed to being a trusted partner in human-centric development. The idea is to build and nurture global citizens, contributing to a brighter future for the next generation, he said.

The education minister also held a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart Jason Clare.  Clare in his speech, emphasised the importance of a good education system that can change more than just lives. "It can change nations," he added.

Commending India's education system, Clare said by 2035, one in four people around the world who get a university degree will get it in India.   "Australian universities like Deakin had been in India for 30 years and now Wollongong has one campus," he said.

The two ministers discussed shared priorities of India and Australia in early childhood care, capacity building of teachers, and the potential for school twinning initiatives.

"Building on the strong institutional linkages between Indian and Australian higher education institutions, they (both ministers) agreed to further strengthen the partnership in critical and emerging technologies. They also explored the possibility of establishing branch campuses of Australian universities in India," an official statement said.

Pradhan visited South Melbourne Primary School and engaged with young learners. He explored the school's innovative approaches to early childhood education.  He also visited Monash University, which has notably welcomed Indian students since the late 1960s.