Summary
The education minister expressed interest in exploring international collaboration with the SQA
ISDC partner universities are considering ways to allow students to complete their Bachelors in the UK after completing two years in India
Karnataka higher education minister Ashwath Narayan stressed the importance of internationalisation and foreign collaborations during a meeting with the members of Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in Edinburgh recently.
Narayan, during an interaction with SQA director John McMorris and international partnership manager Margaret Curran, expressed interest in exploring partnerships between SQA and universities in Karnataka.
The SQA is an internationally recognised awarding body in Scotland that is responsible for developing, accrediting, assessing, certifying and awarding qualifications other than university degrees. Certifications and qualifications granted by the SQA are accepted by universities in The United Kingdom (UK) and other international universities for advanced entry and credit transfer to undergrad and postgrad programmes. The UK university sector is for the development and validation of the SQL qualifications that facilitates progression to higher education.
The International Skill Development Corporation (ISDC) offers business qualifications with an SQA rating in association with the accreditation body. Several universities in the UK accept the ISDC qualifications for articulation. The ISDC is a leading provider of British education and skills and it works with several universities and professional bodies in the UK. Extending its reach internationally, the ISDC has partnered with over 200 Indian universities.
The Association of Indian Universities also recognises the ISDC level 6 as equivalent to the 10+2 qualification needed to enter any undergraduate course in India. Through the ISDC-SQA partnership some Indian universities, specifically JAIN (Deemed-to-be-University) in Bangalore, have to recruit many international students.
Speaking about the ISDC’s collaboration with Indian universities and the latest UGC regulations, Tom Joseph, executive director for strategy & development at ISDC, said, “ISDC has been actively engaging with many Indian higher education institutions. This year it focuses on the new UGC regulations related to partnerships between Indian and foreign institutions in higher education. ISDC is enthusiastic about taking UK universities and SQA into the Indian market. ISDC is organising several university round tables in Indian cities in this context."
The partner universities of ISDC are considering incorporating levels 7 and eight into the degree programmes in light of the new UGC regulations. This will enable students to complete a Bachelor's degree in the UK after two years in India.
Last updated on 31 May 2022
