New Delhi [ India], December 8 (ANI): Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday held bilateral talks with his Australian counterpart, Jason Clare, during the 3rd Australia-India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) Meeting in New Delhi.

India is hosting the high-level dialogue, with Pradhan and Skill Development Minister Jayant Chaudhary leading discussions from the Indian side. The meeting marks a fresh push to deepen education and skills cooperation between the two countries.

A high-level delegation from Australia, led by Education Minister Jason Clare, Immigration and Citizenship Minister Andrew Giles, and Assistant Minister for Education Julian Hill, is in Delhi for the talks, the Australian Ministry of Education's media centre said.

The ministers, along with top university leaders and regulators, will meet their Indian counterparts to strengthen cooperation in higher education, skills development and research.

The discussions are expected to cover several major areas. Strengthening higher education links will be a priority, particularly the progress made by the seven Australian universities that have announced plans to set up campuses in India.

Both sides will also review ongoing work on aligning teacher education standards and early childhood education qualifications.

Another important theme will be innovation in education delivery, an area where India and Australia have been expanding collaboration over the past few years.

'India is one of Australia's most important education partners. AISEC plays an important role in strengthening collaboration and building the education, research and skills base of both countries,' said the Australian Education Ministry in a press statement.

The Australian delegation includes vice-chancellors from major universities such as the University of New South Wales, University of Western Australia, Flinders University, Western Sydney University and James Cook University. Senior officials from Australia's skills and education regulatory bodies, TEQSA, Jobs and Skills Australia, ASQA, and ACARA, are also part of the delegation. (ANI)