Lokesh Meets University of Tasmania Delegation, Seeks Collaboration in CV Development and Rural Health

Minister Lokesh Meets University of Tasmania Delegation, Seeks Collaboration in Curriculum Development and Rural Health Research

Melbourne, Australia: Andhra Pradesh Minister for Education, IT, and Electronics, Nara Lokesh, visited the University of Tasmania (UTAS) as part of his ongoing Australia tour. He was received by Professor Natalie Brown, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), and Professor Glen Jacobson, Head of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology.

During the meeting, Professor Natalie Brown briefed Minister Lokesh on the university’s global stature and academic excellence. She noted that the University of Tasmania operates campuses in Hobart, Launceston, and Sydney, and ranks among the top 2% of universities worldwide (QS 2025). With over 40,000 students, including 15,000 international students, UTAS leads globally in Climate Action (Impact Rankings), Marine and Antarctic Science, and Oceanography. The university offers diverse courses in Pharmacy, Nursing, Rural Health, and Agriculture.

Highlighting India’s growing academic presence, Professor Brown mentioned that around 1,500 Indian students enrolled last year in IT, Engineering, Health Science, and Business programs. UTAS provides Tasmanian International Scholarships and collaborates with Indian institutions, including IITs, on renewable energy and climate resilience projects. She added that the university supports credit transfer and internship pathways for Indian students, with over 5,000 Indian alumni now employed in leading organizations such as Infosys, TCS, and Apollo Hospitals. UTAS has also signed MoUs with several Indian states, including Kerala, to promote nursing education.

Minister Lokesh urged the University of Tasmania to collaborate in developing curriculum frameworks for Pharmacy and Paramedical courses in Andhra Pradesh, aligning them with global accreditation standards followed in Australia. He also encouraged integrating Digital Health Tools, including AI and Telemedicine, into training modules.

The Minister proposed partnerships between UTAS and Andhra Pradesh’s medical colleges and skill universities to strengthen the state’s healthcare education network. He emphasized the need for joint research projects focusing on rural healthcare and drinking water supply, targeting tribal regions of Andhra Pradesh and remote Tasmanian communities.

Minister Lokesh also invited UTAS to launch student and faculty exchange programs for Pharmacy and Nursing students from Andhra Pradesh. Citing the success of German-language-based nursing initiatives, he requested support in designing Australian skill certification programs to enhance placement opportunities for AP students. He further suggested benchmarking AP’s Pharmacy skill certifications to match Australian qualification standards.