This story is from November 20, 2017

India-Indonesia knowledge route set for revival

Much like the ancient silk route, there once existed a knowledge route between India and southeast Asia. Several students from Indonesia would come to study at Nalanda University, one of the world’s oldest higher-learning institutions based in present-day Bihar. While this route has lost its significance over centuries, a new initiative aims to revive this educational exchange.
India-Indonesia knowledge route set for revival
BENGALURU: Much like the ancient silk route, there once existed a knowledge route between India and southeast Asia. Several students from Indonesia would come to study at Nalanda University, one of the world’s oldest higher-learning institutions based in present-day Bihar. While this route has lost its significance over centuries, a new initiative aims to revive this educational exchange.
On November 24, representatives of nearly 15 Indonesian universities will visit some city-based institutions to revive relations through student exchange, credit transfer and dual-degree programmes.

The Incredible India Education Fair is an initiative organized by Indonesia-based education organization TIE UPS International. The efforts began in 2014, when Ravi Makhija, director, TIE UPS and IIEF organizer, encouraged the Indian embassy in Indonesia to promote Indian culture and education there. Ravi, who has been staying in the southeast Asian country for 19 years, was then director of international affairs at an Indonesian university.
“In November 2014, the ambassador endorsed the idea of promoting Indian education in Indonesia and in September 2015, we organized the first education fair in Jakarta which was attended by 15 Indian universities. The subsequent fairs were held in March 2016 and January this year,” Makhija said.
The upcoming visit to Bengaluru universities is part of the ongoing process of encouraging more Indonesian institutions to tie up with their Indian counterparts, particularly those in Bengaluru. Among institutions across the country participating in the initiative are city-based Acharya Institute of Management Studies, BMS College of Engineering, Christ University and Garden City University.
Tackling stereotypes through education
Though the two countries have much in common, stereotypes of poverty and safety have come in the way of establishing educational relationships. “Only after interacting did many Indonesian institutions realize the stereotypes they had about India were wrong. That is the power of education and we intend to use it as a means to re-establish the forgotten knowledge route,” Makhija added.
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