In order to establish formal cooperation in the fields of skills development and vocational and professional education and training, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Swiss State Secretary Mauro Dell’Ambrogio and India’s Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Rajiv Pratap Rudy in Winterthur, Switzerland on June 22 last.

The agreement was signed at the second International Congress on Vocational and Professional Education and Training held in Winterthur. With this agreement, the two countries intend to complement existing commitment of Swiss and Indian players to professional skills development and vocational and professional education and training. The agreement is consistent with the strategy of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI on international cooperation in vocational and professional education and training.

The agreement institutionalises cooperation between the two countries in these areas and aims to promote Swiss vocational and professional education and training internationally. The first such congress was held in 2014. Switzerland and India have fostered excellent bilateral relations in the field of education, research and innovation for many years.

In 2008, the Swiss VET Initiative India (SVETII) was launched to mark the 60th anniversary of the bilateral friendship agreement between Switzerland and India. It is based on the initiative of the Swiss private sector and is implemented by vocational training experts of both countries in different locations in India.