As President Barack Obama traveled through India throughout this week, he encouraged the country to develop stronger ties with American companies—a goal that has elicited support from many American universities, including Duke.
Some U.S. university officials traveled with Obama during his three-day stint in the country, which began Nov. 6. Although Duke representatives did not travel with Obama, many University members have confirmed that Duke wants to strengthen its existing bonds with India.
“India is a country of great interest to us,” said Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations. “The opportunity is there for education, research, public service—the demand for education in India is huge.”
Along with many other universities, Duke plans to eventually establish a permanent presence or site in the country. Plans, however, are not yet entirely clear. Schoenfeld said the Board of Trustees will not be discussing a “specific plan or proposal for India” at its meeting in the first week of December, though Trustees typically discuss general international activities.
“We want to establish some kind of base in India, which will allow us to do some of the same kinds of programs that we will do in China,” said Provost Peter Lange.
The University has not yet identified a funding source for its site, Lange added.
Some Indian officials seem receptive to American universities’ efforts to expand.
Indian Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal recently led an effort to encourage more universities to assist in educating the more than 550 million people under age 25 in India. To enroll just 30 percent of its potential students, the country will need to enlist the support of 600 more universities and 35,000 colleges in the next 12 years, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.
But the establishment of U.S. degree programs is contingent on the passage of the Foreign Educational Institution Bill, which would allow foreign education providers to enter the country. Its passing is dependent on approval from the country’s parliament.
As a part of the U.S.-Business Council, many universities recently lobbied the Indian legislature in favor of the bill’s passage. Officials from Boston University, Arizona State University and Rutgers University in Brunswick, New Jersey were among those present in India during Obama’s visit, Bloomberg Businessweek reported.
Many other university presidents have recently made trips to India in an effort to plan offices, research facilities and campuses in the country.
Although the University’s plans for developing a site in India—if made legally possible—will be finalized in the future, many of Duke’s partnerships with the country were emphasized in Obama’s visit.
A Nov. 6 White House Press Release announced that the trade transactions highlighted in Obama’s trip exceed $14.9 billion and will support more than 50,000 U.S. jobs. These partnerships included the Medanta Duke Research Institute, a proof-of-concept clinical research facility located at the Medanta Medicity, a hospital located in Gurgaon, India.
The Indian facility is scheduled to open in the middle of next year, according to Dr. Krishna Udayakumar, director of Duke Medicine Global.
“This will be one of the foremost facilities in the world to conduct early phase clinical research,” Udayakumar said.
The White House also noted Duke Medicine’s partnership with Jubilant Life Sciences—a collaboration that will work to develop new drugs and fund Duke research of disease in the Indian population.
“I think it’s a recognition and an acknowledgement of the fact that Duke is playing at the very highest levels when it comes to our connections and relationships with India,” Schoenfeld said of the White House recognition of Duke. “It’s a sign of the respect and esteem that both the White House and India have for Duke.”
Udayakumar confirmed that the University is working to develop more partnerships, including one that is finalized and that will likely be announced in the future, he said.
“We have a lot of ongoing projects and we will be building those relationships over time,” he said. “At the moment, we don’t have plans for anything like a medical school or significant campus.”
Members from Duke Medicine will likely make a trip to India at the beginning of December to finalize its agreements with Medanta and Jubilant, he said.
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