UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) has done tremendously well by creating over 475 new Indo-UK higher education and school links over the last two year of its implementation. UKIERI was initiated as a five year initiative to create a 'step change' in educational relations between India and the UK, so that in the longer term the two countries become each other's partner of choice in education.

Objectives:
By strengthening institution to institution collaboration and promoting stronger links to industry and related communities, this initiative will lead ultimately to India and the UK being each other's preferred partner. The initiative is flexible and responsive to the needs of these partners so that good ideas that contribute to relevance, sustainability and impact of the partnerships are welcomed. Proposals have in the past and will be peer reviewed but the proposal, selection and implementation requirements will be minimal, with excellence, relevance to the UK and India, quality of planning being important criteria.

Policy dialogue:
The initiative will also ensure that the UK and India are engaging in constructive dialogue on key policy issues. We are successfully working with central and state government, regulatory bodies, associations and individual institutions to ensure that our respective international education policies are harmonised to best effect and to support each other's broader international educational aspirations (such as membership of the Washington Accord for India). UKIERI has been responsive to the varying needs of the state governments and educational sectors, and policy dialogue will lower barriers to co-operation on both sides and therefore enhance the overall effectiveness of the initiative (eg transferability of national awards leading to greater student mobility).

Consultation:
The initiative is being designed after extensive consultation in India and the UK, including both governments, regulatory bodies such as the Indian University Grants Commission, associations such as Universitiues UK and the Association of Indian Universities, educational institutions and the business sector. Decisions are made by a Project Board reporting to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Bill Rammell, representing the main funding agencies with advice from a wide range of bodies.

Corporate involvement :
The government stakeholders of the Initiative view partnership with the private sector as vital in ensuring impact and sustainability. To date, BAE Systems, BP, GSK and Shell have made in principle commitments to act as Corporate Champions of the Initiative, offering cash and in-kind support in partnerships of up to £1 million in value over five years. The Initiative is exploring other project-specific sponsorships with a number of companies including KPMG, which has committed in principle to act as keystone partner for the Financial Services Skills Exchange. Further partnerships with a number of UK, Indian and multinational companies are now underway.