KOLKATA: Harmonisation of academic standards is required for better collaboration in educational cooperation among the SAARC countries, a state government education department official said here today.
"The need is to go for harmonisation of academic standard of universities across the SAARC countries. Do we have a standard syllabus? Can a student studying in an Indian university switch over to another university in Sri Lanka and still get his degree?," West Bengal higher education principal secretary Vivek Kumar said.
He was speaking at a conclave on education and cultural cooperation among SAARC countries organised by Heritage Business School here.
Governor K N Tripathi, who was also present at the conclave, called for accelerating students and faculty exchange among the SAARC member countries.
"All the stakeholders and analysts need to be updated about the facilities available within the SAARC countries. Employers are required to accept educational qualifications of candidates from the SAARC countries. Exchange programmes of faculty and students need to be accelerated," said Tripathi.
Sri Lanka's honorary consul Abhijit Sen called upon India to play a major role in facilitating educational cooperation.
"While Indian universities offer three-year undergraduate degree courses, the other SAARC members have four years. Therefore there is a need to standardise the academic structure for better cooperation," Sen added.
His views were echoed by Bhutan deputy consul Phuntsho Dukpa.
"Bhutan's education system is interlinked with India as almost all our students come to India for higher education. But it is time for Bhutan to offer itself to the others. We are steadily having exchange programmes with students from India and Maldives," said Dukpa.