Special Focus: Infinite Opportunities: iMOVE's India activities intensified

On May 31, iMOVE and the Indian National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) have signed a Memorandum of Engagement (MoE) to enhance further cooperation of German and Indian training providers, companies and institutions in the field of vocational education and training. This agreement supports the efforts of the Indian Government and private sector to strengthen industry's role in the vocational training system. This is an important step towards practice-orientation and providing trainees with sound employable skills.

The agreement is part of the ongoing reform process of the Indian education and training system. The formal signing took place during the visit of a German cabinet delegation headed by Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel to New Delhi.

Indo-German joint efforts in skills development will also be a topic in the German-Indian Year 2011/2012 under the guiding motto "Germany and India - Infinite Opportunities", which will officially be kicked off in September 2011.

This year bears special significance for Indo-German relations as both countries took up diplomatic relations exactly 60 years ago. The events during the German-Indian Year will mainly take place in India's biggest cities New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune and Hyderabad. They address the future and current challenges which both countries face. Apart from education these are mobility, migration, water, energy, sustainable development, architecture, building technology, cultural infrastructure, social issues and many more.

How diverse and far-reaching the cooperation of Germany and India regarding vocational education and training already is, is illustrated in a new iMOVE publication containing eight success stories of Indo-German partnerships. The year 2011 will see many more realisations of joint projects.