Andhra Pradesh, Australia sign four MoUs on clean energy, education and skills
Andhra Pradesh and Australia on Sunday signed four memoranda of understanding (MoUs) covering clean energy, advanced manufacturing, inclusive education, student mental health and skill development, in a move to expand cooperation between the state and Australian institutions.
The agreements were signed in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Education, Information Technology and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh and Australia's Assistant Minister for International Education, Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs Julian Hill.
"These partnerships are a direct outcome of our recent visit to Australia and reflect the growing collaboration between Andhra Pradesh and Australian institutions in education, research, innovation and workforce development," Lokesh said in a release.
Under the first MoU, the Andhra Pradesh government's Centre of Excellence for Energy Transition (CoEET), IIT Tirupati and the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, will establish a Centre of Excellence for Solar Manufacturing at IIT Tirupati.
The centre will focus on advanced solar photovoltaic manufacturing, solar panel recycling, circular economy practices, industry-driven research, faculty development, technology commercialisation and specialised training.
UNSW will support curriculum development, training and research in areas including solar cell manufacturing, device physics, reliability engineering, recycling, safety, maintenance, ingot manufacturing and wafering technologies.
A second agreement between UNSW, Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam and Samagra Shiksha, Andhra Pradesh, aims to strengthen inclusive education by training teachers to support children with autism and other neurodiverse learning needs.
Under a third MoU, the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education and Australia's Rebound will launch a free pilot programme providing confidential mental health resources, wellness assessment tools and virtual counselling services for students at selected higher educational institutions.
The fourth agreement, between the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation and Australia's Dynamic Learning Services, seeks to strengthen vocational education, industry-aligned training, professional certification and international employment opportunities.
Lokesh said the agreements followed discussions during his recent visit to Australia with universities, research institutions, industry leaders and government representatives.
Earlier, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met the Australian delegation led by Hill and highlighted investment opportunities and development initiatives in Andhra Pradesh.