[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 30, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17622-17624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7472]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


U.S. Education Mission to India

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

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ACTION: Notice.

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Mission Description

    The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Commercial Service is organizing an education 
industry trade mission to India (New Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai) from 
October 10-15, 2011. This mission will include representatives from 
graduate programs, 4-year undergraduate programs and state study 
consortia whose members are appropriately accredited by one of the 
seven regional accrediting bodies. This mission will seek to connect 
United States education institutions to potential students, university/
institution partners and education consultants in India. The mission 
will include one-on-one appointments with potential partners, embassy 
briefings, student fairs and networking events in New Delhi, Chennai 
and Mumbai, three of the top cities for recruiting Indian students to 
the United States.

Commercial Setting

    There are several types of opportunities for U.S. universities and 
institutions of higher learning in India: (1) Attracting Indian 
students to the United States and (2) establishing a campus in India to 
offer courses and programs in India and (3) online training programs. 
The mission will be open to regionally accredited United States 
educational institutions at the 4-year undergraduate level and above 
that wish to either attract students to the United States or meet with 
potential partners for collaboration in India.
    For the eighth consecutive year, Indian students constitute the 
largest group of international students studying in the United States, 
with a total Indian student population in the United States of 103,260, 
a 9.2% increase from 2008. Most Indian students seeking international 
education choose U.S. universities and the majority (72%) of Indian 
students in the United State are studying at the graduate level. 
However, we expect an increasing amount of undergraduate students due 
to the abundance of ``international'' primary and secondary schools 
throughout India and the influx of India-born parents who return to 
India with U.S.-educated children. India's huge youth population, 
estimated at 315 million between the ages of 10 and 24, will continue 
to create a large demand for higher education. There are approximately 
9.5 million students enrolled in higher education in India compared to 
that of the United States, where 19.1 million U.S. citizens are 
enrolled. As the number of students enrolled in higher education 
institutions in India is projected to rise to 11 million over the next 
three years, there are increasing doubts that India will have enough 
purely domestic education institutions to meet this demand. The United 
States, with over 4,000 accredited institutions of higher learning, has 
the capacity to offer access to high quality education to students in a 
broad range of fields. Employers in India have stressed the importance 
of developing a workforce equipped with adequate technical, teamwork 
and communication skills.
    India offers substantial education opportunities for U.S. 
universities and other institutions of higher learning to establish 
schools, programs and curriculum in India. The Government of India 
(GOI) introduced milestone legislation to Parliament last year titled, 
the Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and 
Operation) Bill 2010. Once passed the legislation should allow for 
foreign education providers to set up campuses in the country--
independently and jointly--and offer degrees to Indian students. 
Experts estimate the Indian education market has a potential value of 
$28 billion.
    The first stop on the mission itinerary is New Delhi, the capital 
city of India. This visit would give the delegates an opportunity to 
directly interact with officials from the Government of India regarding 
education policies. Many of the finest educational institutions of 
India are located in Delhi. There are 15 universities and nearly 85 
colleges, 55 management institutes, 7 medical colleges, 10 engineering 
colleges, a large number of computer institutes, 314 higher secondary 
schools, hundreds of preparatory schools and a good number of other 
institutes spread across the city. The Delhi NCR (National Capital 
Region) is the hub for education in the northern India and would 
attract institutions from other cities in the north to come and meet 
with the U.S. institutions. New Delhi would offer the delegates 
briefings, one-on-one meetings and a student fair.
    Then the group will travel to Chennai, a booming organized 
education center in India. Chennai, the capital of the state of Tamil 
Nadu, is India's 3rd largest metropolis and is gaining recognition as a 
dynamic trade and education destination for many U.S. universities. The 
mission participants will have the opportunity to participate in 
briefings, student recruitment fairs and one-on-one meetings. One of 
the largest ``knowledge communities'' in the Asia Pacific region, 
Chennai boasts 350 engineering colleges, 230 polytechnics and 12 deemed 
(``officially accredited'') universities offering technical and medical 
education. Around 7,040 students went to the United States from the 
Chennai region to pursue higher education in 2009.
    Finally, the delegation will visit Mumbai, the capital of the state 
of Maharashtra, to participate in matchmaking meetings and student 
recruitment fair. US&FCS Mumbai has been approached by several private 
equity companies, colleges and large companies interested in investing 
in the education sector and are seeking U.S. collaborations. Located 
near Mumbai, the city of Pune is ranked as the top destination for 
education in India. In addition, while Maharashtra possesses the 
highest percentage of universities in India (11.3%), it also has the 
highest number of student enrollments in India in higher education, 
around 1.5 million.

Mission Goals

    The goals of the United States Education Mission to India are: (1) 
To gain market exposure and introduce participants to the vibrant 
Indian market in the three main metropolitan cities of New Delhi, 
Chennai and Mumbai; (2) assess current and future business prospects by 
establishing valuable contacts with prospective consultants, students 
and educational institutions, and (3) develop market knowledge and 
relationships leading to student recruitment and potential 
partnerships.

Mission Scenario

    Participation in the mission will include the following:
     Pre-travel briefings/webinars;
     Embassy/consulate and industry briefings;
     Pre-scheduled meetings with university heads and 
educational consultants in New Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai;
     Airport transfers in New Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai;
     Site visit in New Delhi/Chennai.
    The precise schedule will depend on the specific goals and 
objectives of the mission participants.

Timetable

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          Day of week                  Date                                   Activity
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Sunday........................  October 9........  Proposed Mission Schedule--October 10-15, 2011
                                                   Arrive in New Delhi (evening arrival).
                                                   Check into hotel.
Monday........................  October 10, New    Mission Meetings Officially Start--October 10-11, 2011:
                                 Delhi.            Embassy Briefing.
                                                   One-on-one matchmaking meetings.
                                                   Luncheon hosted by TBD.
                                                   Student fair.
                                                    Embassy reception.
Tuesday.......................  October 11.......  Arrive in Chennai on October 11 afternoon and check into
                                Chennai..........   hotel:
                                                   Half day site visit--to be finalized.
                                                   Late afternoon departure for Chennai.
                                                   One-on-one business appointments.
Wednesday.....................  October 12.......  One-on-one matchmaking meetings.
                                Chennai..........  Luncheon hosted by TBD.
                                                   Student fair (4-8 pm).
Thursday......................  October 13.......  Half day site visit--to be finalized.
                                                   Late afternoon depart for Mumbai.
                                                   Arrive in Mumbai and check into hotel.
Friday........................  October 14.......  One-on-one matchmaking meetings.
                                Mumbai...........  Luncheon hosted by TBD.
                                                   Student fair.
                                                   Departure to USA--evening.
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*Note: The final schedule and potential site visits will depend on the availability of local government and
  business officials, specific goals of mission participants, and air travel schedules.

Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in the Mission to India 
must complete and submit an application for consideration by the 
Department of Commerce. All applicants will be evaluated on their 
ability to meet certain conditions and best satisfy the selection 
criteria as outlined below. The mission will open on a first come first 
served basis to 20 regionally accredited U.S. universities as well as 
study consortia whose members are also regionally accredited.

Fees and Expenses
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    \*\ An SME is defined as a firm with 500 or fewer employees or 
that otherwise qualifies as a small business under SBA regulations 
(see http://www.sba.gov/services/contractingopportunities/sizestandardstopics/index.html ). Parent companies, affiliates, and 
subsidiaries will be considered when determining business size. The 
dual pricing reflects the Commercial Service's user fee schedule 
that became effective May 1, 2008 (see http://www.export.gov/newsletter/march2008/initiatives.html for additional information).
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    After a university or consortium has been selected to participate 
on the mission, a payment to the Department of Commerce in the form of 
a participation fee is required. The participation fee is $3420 for one 
principal representative from each regionally accredited educational 
institution. The fee for each additional representative is $750. 
Expenses for lodging, some meals, incidentals, and all travel (except 
for transportation to and from airports in-country, previously noted) 
will be the responsibility of each mission participant.

Conditions for Participation

     An applicant must submit a timely, completed and signed 
mission application and supplemental application materials, including 
adequate information on courses offerings, primary market objectives, 
and goals for participation.

Selection Criteria for Participation

     Consistency of the applicant's goals and objectives with 
the stated scope of the mission;
     Timeliness of signed application and participation 
agreement by institution;
     Applicant's potential for doing business in India, 
including likelihood of service exports (education)/knowledge transfer 
resulting from the mission.
    Referrals from political organizations and any documents containing 
references to partisan political activities (including political 
contributions) will be removed from an applicant's submission and not 
considered during the selection process.

Timeline for Recruitment and Applications

    Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner, 
including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Commerce 
Department trade mission calendar (http://www.trade.gov/trade-missions) 
and other Internet web sites, press releases to general and trade 
media, direct mail, notices by industry trade associations and other 
multiplier groups, and publicity at industry meetings, symposia, 
conferences, and trade shows. Recruitment for the mission will begin 
immediately and conclude no later than August 1, 2011. The mission will 
be open on a first come first served basis. Applications received after 
that date will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints 
permit.

Contacts

U.S. Commercial Service in India:
    Sathya Prabha, Commercial Assistant, Hyderabad, Tel: (91-40) 2330 
4025, [email protected].
U.S. Export Assistance Center:
    Koreen Grube, International Trade Specialist, Tel: 414-217-8333, E-
mail: [email protected].
    Matt Baker, International Trade Specialist, Tel: 520-470-5809, E-
mail: [email protected].

Elnora Moye,
U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-7472 Filed 3-29-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P