Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan, announced India’s plan to open an office of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in Dubai. During his visit to the UAE, Pradhan held discussions with UAE’s Minister of State for Early Education and Chairperson of the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), Sara Musallam, in Abu Dhabi.
The talks focused on various aspects of cooperation, including the support needed from India to facilitate the progress of the IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi campus, ADEK’s assistance to CBSE-affiliated Indian schools in the UAE, and the establishment of a CBSE office in Dubai. Pradhan acknowledged the crucial role of UAE’s support in keeping Indian children in the Emirates connected to Indian curricula and cultural roots.
The Union Education Minister emphasized that the IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi campus would serve as a testament to the strong friendship between India and the UAE. He expressed his satisfaction with the productive conversations and the commitment to expanding cooperation in education.
Pradhan also met UAE’s Minister of Education, Ahmad Al Falasi, and both ministers signed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen educational cooperation. The MoU aims to enhance existing collaboration by facilitating student and faculty mobility, joint research programs, course design, conferences, and other initiatives in areas of mutual interest. It also seeks to exchange information on regulations, legal structures, and best practices in education.
The MoU will help establish a Joint Working Group to review its implementation and promote mutual recognition of qualifications between both countries. The Union Education Minister’s visit to the UAE aims to foster collaboration in critical areas of mutual interest in education and the skill domain.
Pradhan highlighted the need to build a knowledge bridge between the UAE and India, considering the UAE’s status as a global economic hotspot and India’s position as a global talent hotspot. The ministers discussed their ongoing efforts to recognize academic and skill qualifications, as well as the recognition of Indian institutes in the UAE, expressing a commitment to strengthening institutional mechanisms and facilitating smooth student and workforce mobility.
During his visit, Pradhan also interacted with students and faculty at the Abu Dhabi Indian School, further strengthening educational ties between the two countries.