A first-of-its-kind partnership for a joint degree program under India’s National Education Policy
Delhi, March 2, 2023: BITS Pilani, an Institute of Eminence with campuses in India (Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad, and Mumbai) and the UAE (Dubai), has tied up with RMIT University, Melbourne, one of the oldest and largest educational institutes in Australia, to launch a BITS-RMIT Higher Education Academy with a dual-degree model. Under the program, students will begin their learning at BITS, experience the RMIT academic environment through courses co-taught by BITS and RMIT faculty, and move to RMIT, Melbourne, for two years, for a fully immersive experience in Australia. The courses will include four undergraduate engineering programs and a Ph.D. program and will commence in mid-2023.
Since the launch of the National Education Policy (NEP) in 2022, India has become an attractive destination for affordable higher education and this partnership is the first joint degree program under the policy.
The collaboration was formalized at a ceremony in Delhi today between Professor Souvik Bhattacharyya, Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani, and Professor Alec Cameron, Vice-Chancellor and President, RMIT University by signing an agreement in the presence of Hon. Jason Clare MP, Australia’s Minister for Education, Hon. Barry Farrell, Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Mathew Johnson, Australia’s Minister Counsellor (Education) to India, and several other dignitaries. Prof V Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor-designate and Prof S K Barai were also present at the signing ceremony.
Speaking about the partnership with RMIT University, Professor Souvik Bhattacharyya, Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani, said “The BITS-RMIT Academy represents a new dimension in trans-national education and research that will deliver the best outcome, both from India and Australia. Through the Practice School and Work Integrated Learning programs, respectively, BITS Pilani and RMIT University are naturally aligned on their mandates to deliver highly-skilled, industry-ready graduates. The Academy will offer uniquely designed programs leveraging the excellence and legacy of the BITS Pilani and RMIT University systems, with faculty, students, and researchers in close collaboration. We look forward to a new era of academic cooperation that will define and deliver the best attributes of a global graduate and citizen.”
Alec Cameron, Vice-Chancellor and President, RMIT, said “The Academy marks a strategic step in strengthening RMIT’s profile and presence in India through partnering with a high-performing University. This partnership highlights the shared commitment of both institutions in shaping global-minded and work-ready graduates with international mobility. The Academy represents a step in furthering RMIT’s commitment to international education and research collaborations and reinforces our position as a leading university of impact. It adds to the growing list of quality education and research opportunities offered by RMIT across the globe. We look forward to working closely with BITS to provide students with high-quality, unique learning experiences and research opportunities.”
The partnership between BITS Pilani and RMIT seeks to deliver graduates and scholars empowered by the combined attributes of both institutions and countries, straddling the domains of scholarship, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and cross-cultural understanding and awareness.
