A delegation from a consortium of six top Universities in Australia, led by Nick McCaffrey, Deputy High Commissioner of the Australian High Commission on Wednesday met the Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. 

A spokesperson said that the delegation expressed a strong interest in setting up a campus, in Gurugram, to offer undergraduate courses. The Australian delegation also included Mathew Johnston, Minister Counsellor, Education and Research, Australian High Commission and Prof Simon Biggs, IRU Chair and Vice Chancellor and President, James Cook University and representatives of Universities. The Chief Minister welcomed the delegation and assured them of the full support and cooperation of the State Government, including providing an existing building to start the campus and all other necessary facilities. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will soon be signed in this regard, he added.

Saini said that the State has Foreign Cooperation Department to handle the foreign requirements. The Foreign Cooperation Department will be coordinating for the further locations as per the requirements of the Innovative Research Universities (IRUs) of Australia. With the establishment of the campus, students will no longer need to travel to Australia, as they will be able to pursue undergraduate courses right here in Haryana. Upon completing their studies, they will receive a certificate from the Australian university, which will open doors to lucrative job opportunities, not only in Haryana but globally. This initiative will help students from Haryana save on hefty tuition fees and other expenses associated with studying abroad. After 12th grade, students on this campus will have the opportunity to pursue four-year integrated courses in Software Engineering, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Financial Technology, Tourism and Hospitality, and Sports Management. The range of courses will be gradually expanded in alignment with the evolving needs of the state and the community.

Nick McCaffrey, Deputy High Commissioner of the Australian High Commission said that since 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has opened new doors for mutual cooperation between India and Australia, with the education sector being the largest area of collaboration.