The summit is being organised by the Embassy of France in India, in partnership with Universite de Lyon, Campus France, and Emlyon Business School, on the French side, and the Ministries of Science and Technology and Human Resource Development (MHRD) on the Indian side. The event will be inaugurated by ministers from both the French and Indian governments.
The first Knowledge Summit was held during the 2018 state visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to India. According to a French Embassy statement, it was a key moment for Indo-French cooperation as it drew up a road map for the following years, in partnership with the corporate sector.
Franch Ambassador to India, Emmanuel Lenain, said: "After the success of the first edition in India, we are delighted to see the second edition of the Knowledge Summit take place in France. It is an essential step to develop and structure our collaborations in education and research, stimulate connections between research and industry, and encourage the mobility of students and scholars. These matters are a fundamental aspect of our partnership with India."
Over 300 participants from the higher rungs of Indian and French academia, research organisations, corporate houses, competitive clusters and startups, as well as public authorities are expected at the second Knowledge Summit in Lyon.
Around 15 agreements will be inked between French and Indian participants during this summit. During the March 2018 Knowledge Summit, a very significant MoU was signed between France and India: the mutual recognition of academic qualifications in non-professional degrees. Students graduating from Indian institutions are thus eligible for further education in France, and vice versa.
The continued partnership efforts between India and France has resulted in a sharp increase in Indian students choosing France for higher studies over the past two years. In the process, the target of welcoming 10,000 Indian students to France by 2020 will already be attained this year, giving rise to a revised aim of doubling this figure by 2025, the statement said.
Business schools and engineering colleges from India and France have actively pursued cooperation. There are already more than 550 partnerships currently recognised by the Embassy of France in India, involving about 120 French and 150 Indian institutions. A dozen others already have permanent offices in India, such as Sciences Po and ESC Rennes.
( With inputs from IANS )