India and the UK signed an MoU with the aim of enhancing relations between the higher education systems of the two countries. This will also help in facilitating academic cooperation between the two bilateral partners. The MoU signed on the 21st of July, 2022, entails that the mutual recognition of qualifications between the two countries will encourage continuing studies in the partner country, in addition to promoting student mobility. This would also encourage excellence in higher education through cooperation, academic and research exchanges.
With this MoU, India, the UK and Northern Ireland have agreed to mutually recognise educational qualifications and periods of study covered by students within duly approved and recognised institutions of higher education in the two countries.
The MoU says that in the case of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the qualifications covered are formal upper secondary qualifications that are typically used to access higher education in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland (that sit at level 3 of the Regulated Qualifications Framework for England and Northern Ireland, level 3 of the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales, and levels 6 and 7 of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework) issued by approved government organisations. And, in the case of India, the qualifications covered by this MoU are those that are typically used to access higher education in Indian Universities, i.e. the Senior Secondary School and Bachelor, Master’s and Doctoral degrees.
Degrees in the professional fields, i.e. in the fields of Engineering, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Law, and Architecture are out of consideration of this MoU.
Under this MoU, the Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and Doctoral degree awarded in India will be considered equivalent or comparable to the Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and Doctoral degree respectively awarded in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Similarly, the Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree and Doctoral degree awarded in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will be considered equivalent or comparable to that of India.
Both countries will carry out a periodic review process for the monitoring of the application of this MoU and the general provisions relating to the periodicity, place and form of meetings will be determined mutually by the nations.
It has also been agreed that both countries will jointly consult each other time-to-time to keep each other informed about the functioning and developments of the respective systems. UK ENIC, a UK based organisation, appointed by the Department for Education will be responsible for the proper working and monitoring of this MoU. For India, the Association of Indian Universities will be responsible for the proper working and monitoring of the MoU.
Both the nations have agreed that the MoU will be valid for a period of five years and will automatically renew for subsequent periods of five years henceforth unless terminated by either of the countries.
