The objective of the institutional and professional links program is to strengthen links between key institutions in Australia and India, such as universities, libraries, museums, technical colleges, research institutes, professional organisations and appropriate non-government organisations, particularly in law, governance and international relations, with a view to promoting the long-term bilateral relationship.

To encourage bilateral dialogue on strategic and security matters, the Council agreed to support a two-day Australia–India security round-table in New Delhi during July 2001. Convened by Ms Jenelle Bonnor, Visiting Fellow at the Australian Defence Studies Centre, Australian Defence Force Academy, and Dr Amitabh Mattoo, Director of the Centre for the Study of National Security, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, the round-table was designed to discuss strategic and related issues of common interest, and to explore the scope for expanded security dialogue and cooperation between the two countries. The round-table was planned to closely follow the official visit to Australia in June 2001 by Mr Jaswant Singh, the first official visit to Australia by an Indian Foreign Minister.

Professor Michael Taylor, Director of the Transport Systems Centre at the University of South Australia, organised the participation of two transport planners from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, Professor SB Patnaik and Dr R Sivananda, in a workshop on Global Information Systems (GIS) in planning for urban public transport held in Adelaide on 10 and 11 April 2001. The workshop provided opportunities for Australian and Indian transport planners to compare urban transport design and practices, and to review the application of GIS technology in these processes.

Dr Joe Baker, Queensland Chief Scientist and ACT Commissioner for the Environment, presented two keynote papers at the 88th Session of the Indian Science Congress, held in New Delhi in January 2001. Dr Baker also gave lectures and visits to a range of institutions in New Delhi and presented papers at a special symposium on marine biotechnology in Mumbai.

Mr Anthony McKenzie, of the University of Sydney Faculty of Rural Management, Orange, participated in an international symposium on Information Technology in the Teaching of Science at the University of Madras, and conducted professional development workshops on flexible delivery of teaching programs at four tertiary institutions in India during August and September 2000.

Associate Professor Mohan Singh, of the Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Melbourne, continued his plant biotechnology collaboration with the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in New Delhi. The project was due to be completed in late 2001.

Australia–India Council Annual Report 2000–2001

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