High Commissioner of India Muktesh Pardeshi visited Auckland University of Technology on Wednesday, November 11 meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, prominent Indian academicians, and the international students.
This visit to a leading NZ University campus was fourth in a series of such visits initiated by Mr Pardeshi in the last two years of his tenure as the Head of the India Mission with a clear focus on deepening of already growing bilateral relations between India and NZ particularly in the area of education.
Mr Pardeshi was accompanied with Hon Consul of India, Bhav Dhillon and Second Secretary Indian High Commission Paramjeet Singh, and was greeted by Vice-Chancellor Derek McCormack, Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Guy Little Fair and other prominent leadership teams.
Enhancing institutional linkages between universities of the two countries
Speaking to the Indian Weekender, Mr Pardeshi said, “We had a great meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, Indian-origin academicians and our international students and also a tour of the campus.”
“In our formal meeting with Vice-Chancellor Derek McCormack we discussed on enhancing and deepening institutional linkages between universities in both countries like the NZ Centre that opened in IIT Delhi earlier this year,” Mr Pardeshi said.
Notably, earlier this year, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters had inaugurated the New Zealand Centre at the Indian Institute of Technology New Delhi, following a signing of MoU to affirm the position of New Zealand Centre to be a focal point of academic activity for all eight New Zealand Universities and IIT Delhi.
Mr Pardeshi said it was a cherished goal of deepening institutional linkages between premier educational institutions of both our countries.
Urging Indian academicians to give back to the community
Mr Pardeshi had a meaningful conversation with all Indian-origin academicians of the university lauding them for their academic excellence and success in reputed global educational institutions.
Simultaneously, Mr Pardeshi also urged them to consider giving back to the community, particularly contributing and participating in India’s growth story.
Earlier, Mr Pardeshi has personally written to each and every Indian origin academician in NZ universities in May, inviting them to consider contributing and engaging with India’s growth story.
Ensuring the welfare of international students
The third main objective of Mr Pardeshi’s visit to NZ university was to ensure general welfare and pastoral care of Indian students.
“In the interactive session with students, we listened to their aspirations, their mostly positive feedback about their experiences in NZ despite Covid and the challenging job market because of Covid. We told them to stay in touch in case they need any consular or other assistance,” Paramjeet Singh Second Secretary Indian High Commission said.
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