On September 10, 2024, the EU-funded India-EU Cooperation and Dialogue on Migration and Mobility (CDMM) project co-implemented by ICMPD, held a Student Mobility Workshop in New Delhi, India. The workshop, focused on facilitating student mobility and understanding the ‘dichotomy’ of using educational consultants.
The workshop organised under the aegis of the India-EU CDMM Phase II project, gathered over 80 participants from the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Education, European Union Member States (EU MS), EU Educational Study Abroad Programmes (e.g. DAAD, IFI/Campus France, Uni-Italia, Nordic Centre in India, etc), International Collaboration Departments of Indian and EU Higher Education Institutions, State-level Departments, Academia and Private Sector representatives.
The inaugural session of the workshop saw opening remarks from Ms. Archana Nair, Joint Secretary, Emigration Policy and Welfare division, Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Mr. Frank Viault, Minister Counsellor and Head of Cooperation, Delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan and Ms. Nutan Kapoor Mahawar, Additional Secretary, Indian Council of World Affairs. In his welcome remarks, Mr. Naozad Hodiwala, ICMPD Country Coordinator for India, emphasised the importance of study abroad within the EU and India but also warned of the challenges of unscrupulous agents and foreign degree recognition. He called for action to ensure that these exchanges are safe and beneficial for both regions.
After the inaugural session, representatives from the Government of India and the European Union officially launched the dissemination of the EU Blue Card Checklist, a promotional tool designed to advance awareness of the EU Blue Card within India.
Panel 1 speakers highlighted the Government of India’s initiatives including the internationalisation of universities under the ‘National Education Policy 2020’, and the "Study in India" programme, which aims to enhance academic exchange and aims to be a one-stop portal for incoming students from EU (and other countries) to India. They also recognised the EU's efforts in promoting student mobility, including streamlined visa processes, job seeker visa extensions, expanded scholarships through Erasmus + programme, and an increasing number of English-taught courses. India-EU CDMM Project’s efforts on creating awareness on the opportunities through the student checklist (for Indian and EU students/researchers) was highlighted in the session.
Panel 2 addressed the risks and rewards of student recruitment in India, particularly unscrupulous practices and misinformation. Panellists recommended promoting self-regulation among consultants, creating a reference list of credible agents, and encouraging universities to adopt long-term recruitment strategies that align with ethical standards and transparency. The University Reference Tool that was developed by ICMPD under the project was emphasised as a relevant resource for EU universities seeking to develop relationships with Educational Consultants in India and recruit Indian students to pursue academic work within the EU.
The workshop underscored the need for stronger partnerships between international study abroad departments within Indian and EU HEIs, positioning the India-EU student mobility corridor as a potential model for safe and regular migration.
The workshop was conducted in an effort to deliver on the common objectives laid out within the EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM) through the EU funded India-EU Cooperation and Dialogue on Migration and Mobility (CDMM) project jointly implemented by ICMPD, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and India Council for World Affairs (ICWA).
For more information on the project, please visit- www.icmpd.org/euindia
