The Saudi-India Business Network (SIBN) will host a seminar on higher education in India at the Indian Embassy on Dec. 13 as part of its sector-specific activity to bolster relations between India and Saudi Arabia.

“The SIBN will conduct an interactive session on education in its next sector,” said Sibi George, India's deputy chief of mission, in Riyadh on Saturday.

“Professors, scholars, academicians, representatives from Indian and Saudi Universities, members of the higher board and managing committees of all 10 International Indian Schools in the Kingdom are expected to participate and share their thoughts,” he said.

“The education sector has huge potential to promote bilateral relationships between the two countries,” he added.

He stated that higher education in India has witnessed stupendous growth in its institutional and infrastructural capacity.

“The number of universities and academic institutions has increased manifold, from 27 in 1950 to 504 in 2009. The number of colleges has also grown, from only 578 in 1950 to more than 30,000 in 2011,” he added.

He noted that for centuries, India has been a center of education and learning and that the quality of Indian education is validated by government bodies like the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

“Today, India has re-emerged as a center of learning, imparting quality education at affordable costs. Many Indian institutions, like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), have earned a name for themselves globally,” George said.

“Thousands of foreign students are currently pursuing higher studies in India. The high quality of education, moderate fee structure and conducive learning environment attract students from different parts of the world,” the DCM observed.