India, Morocco Conclude Key Pact for Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications

NEW DELHI: India and Morocco have this week signed a key pact titled Facilitate Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications with the North African country becoming one of the few to conclude such a pact with Delhi.

“Parties to this Memorandum of Understanding (Hereinafter called MoU) assured of the robust system of approval, recognition and accreditation of higher educational institutions in the two countries and in recognition of their commitments to adhere to the norms and standards aimed at ensuring quality and promoting excellence in higher education, are convinced that mutual recognition of qualifications between the two countries shall not only encourage mobility of students but will also promote excellence in higher education through educational collaboration, exchange, research collaboration and cooperation in education in general,” read the pact, a copy of which is available with ET. This pact was inked before a high level political visit from India to Morocco in near future.

“Parties to this MoU affirm that they are competent to enter into and give effect to this MoU for the mutual recognition of qualifications and that they have obtained necessary approval/ concurrence from the competent authorities in their respective countries, as required by law/ rules/ regulations and prevailing convention and that the Signatory to the MoU are duly competent/ authorized to enter into such MoUs,” according to the pact signed on January 22.

This MoU implies/shall apply “In Morocco to all the educational institutions which are members of the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research and to all institutions duly approved/recognised/accredited by the competent authorities in the Kingdom of Morocco to award degrees; In India, to all institutions that are members of Association of Indian universities (AIU) and to all institutions duly approved/recognized/accredited by the competent authorities in the Republic of India to award degrees.”

Both parties will facilitate regular exchanges between the Moroccan bodies and Indian bodies, and AIU, for the implementation of the present MoU. This MoU shall not apply to such Disciplines, Qualifications which also entitle the holders of the Diploma/Degree to practice a Profession in the respective countries.

“Parties to the MoU agree that this MoU shall come into force on the date of signing and shall remain in force for a period of Five Years and will be automatically extended for a further period of Five Years.”

The pact was signed by Khalid SAMADI Secretary of State for Higher Education and Scientific Research, Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Morocco and Dr. Satya Pal Sing h Minister of State for Human Resource Development & Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

Morocco, Africa’s second biggest economy, has emerged as a key pillar in India’s Africa strategy and Delhi had played a key role in Morocco’s re-entry into African Union in 2017. India is the recipient of biggest Moroccan investment in Asia. Both sides have signed record number of pacts in the last few years. Delhi and Rabat are also exploring joint projects in third countries in Africa.

List of India-Morocco Pacts in last few years

Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) for 2016-2019 between India and Morocco signed in Rabat (31 May 2016)

MoU between the Foreign Service Institute, Ministry of External affairs, India and the Moroccan Academy for Diplomatic Studies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Kingdom of Morocco (31 May 2016)

MoU between Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Mohammed V University on the Establishment of ICCR Chair for Hindi Language (27 February 2017)

MoU between Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Mohammed V University on the Establishment of ICCR Chair of Indian Studies (27 February 2017)

MoU between the Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA), India and the Royal Institute for Strategic Studies (IRES), Morocco on Cooperation in Institutional Relations (25 April 2017)

MoU between Prasar Bharati, India and Societe Nationale de Radiodiffusion et de Television (SNRT), Morocco (26 May 2017)

MoU between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Morocco on Cooperation in the field of Health (14 December 2017)

MoU between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco on Cooperation in the field of Water Resources(14 December 2017)

Cooperation Agreement between Indian Railways (IR) Moroccan National Railways Office (ONCF) (14 December 2017)

Agreement to establish Cooperation between Indian Maritime University (IMU) and the Higher Institute of Maritime Studies (ISEM), Morocco (14 December 2017)

Framework Agreement for Cooperation in Training between the Indian Maritime University of the Republic of India and the National Ports Agency (Port Training Institute) of the Kingdom of Morocco (14 December 2017)

Cooperation Framework Agreement between the Institute of Training in Engines and Road Maintenance (IFEER) under the Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE) under the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways of the Republic of India (14 December 2017)

MoU between Marrakech Mohamed VI University Hospital, Morocco and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER) for Telemedicine collaboration (14 December 2017)

Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India and The National Centre for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST), Morocco (21 February 2018)

MoU on Cooperation between the Ministry of Law & Justice of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Justice of the Kingdom of Morocco (02 April 2018)

MoU for Cooperation in the field of Renewable Energy (10 April 2018)

MoU in the field of Mining and Geology (11 April 2018)

Work Plan for the Years 2018-20 between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Fisheries, Rural Development and Waters and Forests of the Kingdom of Morocco under the MoU on Cooperation in the field of Agricultural Research & Education (04 May 2018)

MoU on Cooperation between the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi and Moroccan Centre for Strategic Studies (CMES), Rabat, Morocco (05 September 2018)

MoU on Cooperation between Moroccan Agency for Tourism Development (SMIT) and India Tourism Development CorporationNSE 0.05 % (ITDC) (17 September 2018)

Air Services Agreement (19 September 2018)

MoU between National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), Republic of India and the National Agency for the Promotion of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (Maroc PME) on Cooperation in the field of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises between India and Morocco (25 September 2018)

MoU between the Government of Republic of India and Government of the Kingdom of Morocco for Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (25 September 2018)

MoU between the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Moroccan Computer Emergency Response Team (ma-CERT), National Defence Administration of the Kingdom of Morocco, on Cooperation in the area of Cyber Security (25 September 2018)

Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (12 November 2018)

Agreement on Legal and Judicial Cooperation in Civil and Commercial matters including the service of Summons, Judicial documents, Letters of Request and Execution of Judgment and Arbitral Awards (12 November 2018)

Joint Declaration of Intent between National Informatics Centre under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Justice of the Kingdom of Morocco on Cooperation in the field of Modernization and Use of Information Technology (12 November 2018)

Extradition Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco (13 November 2018)

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Source: ET

Image Courtesy: Morocco World News

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