Cooperation in education between Russia and India

Despite the long history of Russia-India relations established after the formation of independent India, the current state of cooperation in education between the two states cannot compete with countries such as the USA or the UK. The academic discourse around the Russian-Indian ties does not cover educational cooperation, which indicates a clear gap in the understanding of processes in this sphere between Russia and India, and within these countries. This study aims to fill this gap by giving a primary overview of existing processes in Russian and Indian education systems in the context of internationalization, to encompass the problems in the development of Russian-Indian educational relations and identify ways to address them. The research question lies in two main dimensions: that of international relations and of the policy of internationalization of higher education in both Russia and India. This determines this article's methodological framework. One of the main research findings is the identification of incoherence of the internationalisation policy of Russia and India. To change this, Russian-Indian educational cooperation should shift from inter-institutional to inter-state level. In Russia, the state must return to the field of international educational cooperation. It should provide subsidies for educational exchanges between Russian and Indian higher education institutions, involve major industrial partners, and use the full range of administrative and diplomatic resources to expand educational cooperation. In a sense, it requires the capitalization of the historically good relations between Russia and India, rather than exploitation. The first step in this direction should be serious expert work on the study of modern Indian education system and of opportunities for cooperation, taking into account the needs and capabilities of both countries.

Keywords

Authors

References