Māori welcome for Indian university leaders

The Vice-Chancellors of five Indian universities were greeted with a traditional Māori welcome or pōwhiri during a short visit to the University of Waikato this week.

Professor Dinesh Singh of the University of Delhi, Professor R. Ramaswamy of the University of Hyderabad, Professor Rajan Welukar of the University of Mumbai, Professor Surabhi Banerjee of the Central University of Orissa, and Professor A.N. Rai of the North Eastern Hill University were formally welcomed onto the University’s marae before taking a tour of the campus.

New Zealand-India tertiary education cooperation

Supported by Education New Zealand, the Indian university leaders’ week-long visit to New Zealand is part of the Prime Ministers’ Education Cooperation Commitment, announced during the visit of Prime Minister John Key to India last year.

The Indian delegation is visiting a group of New Zealand tertiary providers to establish relationships at vice-chancellor level, and assist the Indian government to shape tertiary education cooperation between India and New Zealand.

The delegation also aims to explore approaches to indigenous-centred tertiary education, with a view to building further capability in the Indian system. Two of the universities represented in the Indian delegation – Orissa and North Eastern Hill universities – are located in areas of India with substantial indigenous/tribal populations.

Speaking to the visitors on the marae, the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Roy Crawford said Waikato was keen to explore opportunities for cooperation with Indian universities in research and student exchanges.

Opportunity to learn from each other

Professor Rai of North Eastern Hill University quoted from the Sanskrit Vedic scriptures, the Bhagavad Gita, to illustrate how India traditionally places the same importance on the natural environment as Māori, and said the visit represented an opportunity for both sides to learn from each other.

Prior to visiting the University of Waikato, Professors Rai and Banerjee had meetings at the Whakatane-based Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, which has been active in nurturing linkages with Indian universities. Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi is part of the Bay of Plenty tertiary education consortium along with the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and the University of Waikato.