The first two Schools of Nalanda University, which is being built near the ruins of the ancient academic institution in Bihar with assistance from a number of ASEAN member countries, will commence its courses from next month.
In her address at the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meeting, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, "The first two Schools of Nalanda University, the Schools of Historical Studies and Ecology and Environment Studies, will begin programmes from the academic year starting September 2014.
"We would like to welcome students from the EAS countries to these Schools," she said.
India had signed agreements with seven countries in October last year during the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Brunei and the countries had pledged their commitment to the ambitious Nalanda University project.
The Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed with Australia, Cambodia, Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand, Lao PDR and Myanmar.
Talking about cooperation in education sector, Swaraj in her address said cooperation in education amongst EAS countries can have both a demographic as also a developmental impact.
"This is why EAS members should agree to some equivalence of qualifications. Transfer of learning from one country to another in terms of syllabi, faculty exchanges, short-term credit courses etc. can be attempted at the institutional-to-institutional level," she said.
Swaraj had arrived in Nay Pyi Taw city of Myanmar to participate in the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers Meeting, East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meeting and ASEAN Regional Forum Meeting.
The 10 ASEAN nations are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The idea to revive Nalanda University was first mooted in 2005 by then President APJ Abdul Kalam. The university is being built near the ruins of the historic academic place by the same name in Bihar and those involved with this project include Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.
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