Deakin University celebrated its 30-year partnership with India at Victoria's Government House last night, a historic milestone in the University's longstanding relationship with the country.
The event was hosted by the Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, who said that she was delighted to acknowledge Deakin's legacy to date in the South Asia region.
'It is a pleasure to host an event to recognise this milestone in the relationship between Deakin University and India - a longstanding partnership that the people of India and Victoria will continue to share in and benefit from,' Professor Gardner said.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Iain Martin said he was honoured to attend the reception and commemorate a new chapter in the Deakin-India partnership.
'For more than half of our existence, we've had a close relationship with India, forging a bond based on commitment, excellence, trust and transparency,' Professor Martin said.
'I am immensely proud to be here tonight to celebrate what is a momentous occasion for not only Deakin University, but Australia-India bilateral relations and Australia's international higher education sector. There is much to learn from transnational education for both countries and the sharing of research and knowledge, in the future.
'The Deakin-India partnership began when Deakin became the first international university to establish a presence in the subcontinent 30 years ago and since then we've remained steadfast in our commitment to India.
'Over three decades we've intentionally nurtured and developed our strategic partnerships with India's premier research organisations, business, and academic institutions. Undoubtably one of our proudest moments to date in the India-Deakin story is opening our GIFT City international branch campus in India - a world first'.
The milestone comes one month after Deakin welcomed its inaugural group of students to its GIFT City Campus in Gujarat, India, the country's first-ever international university branch campus and within months of Deakin celebrating 50 years since its inauguration.
