As the Government talks up an interim agreement with India, scholars have resigned fellowships with the Uni Melbourne based Australia-India Institute, “the principal convener of strategic dialogue between our two nations”

In December 2020 some 24 academic fellows from a wide range of Australia universities wrote to the university’s PVC India, Michael Wesley stating that the Indian Government is curtailing free speech and moving universities there “toward nativist cultural-nationalist agendas.”

“The Indian government has also demonstrated a keen interest in the activities of AII, other India studies institutes and departments, as well as in scholars of India in Australia,” Devleena Ghosh (UTS) and the other signatories warned.

Their letter claimed “AII fellows have been discouraged from including their AII affiliation in opinion articles that are critical of the Indian government.”

Uni Melbourne now confirms that academic fellows have resigned and says it “respects” their decisions. The university refuses to specify who or how many have gone, however around half the 24 signatories to the original letter are believed to have subsequently ended their AII affiliation.

The origins of the fellows’ concern pre-dates the appointment of former Labor senator Lisa Singh as AII director.

Trade deal  includes education, just

The new trade agreement, establishes a basis for recognition of professional qualifications and extends to three years the post-graduation Australia stay for Indians with first class honours STEM degrees.

But Aus HE and VET providers who have waited for a chance to set-up under their own brands in for India, can keep waiting.

The agreement ensure Australian suppliers of HE and adult education, “will always receive India’s best market access given in the future to any country. Trade Minister Dan Tehan and Acting Education Minister Stuart Robert say.