[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 136 (Tuesday, July 16, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42505-42507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-16816]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


U.S. Healthcare Education Mission to New Delhi, Hyderabad, and 
Ahmedabad, India, January 27--February 1, 2014

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration

Mission Description

    The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service, is organizing a 
healthcare education trade mission to India (New Delhi, Hyderabad, and 
Ahmedabad) from January 27--February 1, 2014. This mission will include 
representatives of regionally accredited graduate programs and 4-year 
undergraduate programs. This mission will seek to connect United States 
education institutions in the field of healthcare to potential 
students, university/institution partners and hospitals and research 
labs/pharmaceutical companies in India. The mission will include one-
on-one meetings with potential partners, embassy briefings, student 
interactions and networking opportunities in New Delhi, Hyderabad and 
Ahmedabad, three of the top cities for recruiting Indian students to 
the United States. These cities have been top of the list of the 
healthcare industry in India that includes education institutions, 
healthcare facilities and companies in the sectors of healthcare-
related services, drugs, pharmaceuticals and research.
    The mission will be open to regionally accredited United States 
education institutions at the four year undergraduate level and at the 
graduate level that wish to either attract students to the United 
States or meet with potential partners for collaboration in India. The 
mission will be an opportunity for participants to meet with policy 
makers, visit institutions imparting healthcare education and 
healthcare facilities, to get acquainted with the functioning of 
hospitals in India and the varied standards of healthcare delivery. The 
mission participants will have one-on-one meetings with medical 
colleges, dental colleges, pharmacy colleges, nursing colleges, 
hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and interactions with students 
pursuing various streams of healthcare education.

Commercial Setting

    In the 2011/12 academic year, 100,270 students (including both 
graduate and undergraduate) from India were studying in the United 
States. India is the second leading place of origin for students coming 
to the United States. Students from India make up approximately 13.1% 
of the total foreign student population in the United States. Of the 
100,270 students, 4.8% choose to study in the health professions 
fields, and 11.4% choose to study in the life sciences fields.
    India is primarily a market for U.S. graduate institutions 
interested in attracting students. Though there is some interest in 
U.S. undergraduate studies and transfer admissions, limited 
scholarships and the increasing cost of education are major deterrents. 
However, with the increase of international schools in India, the 
interest in undergraduate study in the United States is expected to 
increase in the years to come. India also offers substantial 
opportunities for U.S. universities and other institutions of higher 
learning to establish schools, programs and curriculum in India. 
According to industry experts, the higher education sector in India, 
which is currently at US$ 8.38 billion, is expected to grow at a 
compound annual growth rate of 18.0% through 2020 and to reach US$ 
42.17 billion.
    The Indian healthcare industry is expected to reach US$ 280 billion 
by 2020, driven by increasing demand for specialized and quality 
healthcare facilities. The Indian pharmaceuticals market is expected to 
grow to $ 55 billion in 2020 resulting in extensive employment 
opportunities in the Indian pharmaceutical industry. The Indian 
healthcare sector is witnessing robust growth, which calls for adequate 
reforms in current healthcare education to deliver a trained taskforce 
matching the market needs.
    Healthcare education in India seldom addresses topics such as 
regulatory norms, ethics compliance, entrepreneur skills and does not 
focus on creating an innovation-oriented educational environment and 
research facilities all of which has direct impact on healthcare 
delivery. In India, healthcare delivery and medical education have 
largely been governmental functions and despite its best efforts, the 
government has not been able to provide medical education to keep up 
with the advancements in the sector.
    Most of the public sector teaching hospitals are not well equipped 
to impart training to the residents according to the guidelines of the 
Medical Council of India (MCI), the apex governing body. With the rapid 
advancement in medical technology over the last decade, the Indian 
government is finding it increasingly difficult to keep these teaching 
hospitals up-to-date. India has some top quality medical institutes 
that provide quality education and a huge number of professionals are 
added to the sector every year, yet there is a huge unmet demand for 
quality and well-trained professionals.
    The Foreign Educational Institutions (Regulation of Entry and 
Operations) Bill has been pending in Parliament since 2010. At this 
time we cannot say with any confidence if it will be passed. AICTE has 
in place regulations for Foreign Universities/Institutes which propose 
to collaborate/enter into twinning arrangements (where a student does a 
part of the course in India and part overseas) in Technical Education.

Mission Goals

    The goals of the United States Healthcare Education Mission to 
India are:
    (1) To help participants gain market exposure and introduce 
participants to the vibrant Indian market in the three cities of New 
Delhi, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad;
    (2) To provide an opportunity for participants to assess current 
and future business prospects by establishing valuable contacts with 
prospective business partners and clients, including companies, 
hospitals, students and education institutions; and
    (3) To provide an opportunity for participants to develop market 
knowledge and relationships leading to student recruitment and 
potential partnerships.

Mission Scenario

    New Delhi--The first stop for the delegation is the capital city of 
India, which will provide an opportunity for the delegates to directly 
interact with officials from the Government of India (GOI) regarding 
policies, procedures and opportunities in the country's

[[Page 42506]]

healthcare education sector. New Delhi has many of the finest education 
institutions of India. 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.
    New Delhi is widely regarded as an important center of education in 
India. The local Government authorities are striving to promote higher 
education in terms of providing the necessary infrastructure 
facilities, resources, and proper environment to the institutions 
working in the field of higher education. Several regulatory bodies, 
including the Medical Council of India, All India Council of Technical 
Education (AICTE), and Central Drugs Standard Control Organization 
(CDSCO) are located in New Delhi. One of the foremost medical 
institutes in India is the All India Institute of Medical Sciences 
(AIIMS). The Institute has comprehensive facilities for teaching, 
research and patient-care and conducts teaching programs in medical and 
paramedical courses both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and 
awards its own degrees. Several corporate hospital chains have their 
headquarters in New Delhi, such as Max group and Medicity Medanta.
    Hyderabad--This city is the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh 
(AP), and is a booming education and healthcare center in the south of 
India. It is gaining recognition as a dynamic location for student 
recruitment by U.S. universities, many of which recruit a large number 
of students from Hyderabad. Andhra Pradesh has 1,330 arts, science and 
commerce colleges, 847 engineering colleges and 53 medical colleges. 
The state of Andhra Pradesh contributes the majority of students to the 
student population pursuing higher education in the United States.
    AP has emerged as a key state for the knowledge-based industry 
including IT, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Over 70 of the 500 top 
global corporations are present in the state. Hyderabad is the hub of 
the bulk-drugs industry, accounting for one-third of the national 
production of bulk drugs. The state produces a majority of the 500 
basic drugs produced in the country. The presence of related 
educational infrastructure has also helped the pharmaceutical and 
biotech industry. Hyderabad is home to the Birla Institute of 
Technology and Science (BITS), National Institute of Pharmaceutical 
Education and Research (NIPER), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), 
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, National Institute of Nutrition 
(NIN), Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and Indian 
Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT). Leading hospitals like Apollo, 
Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Krishna Institute of Medical 
Sciences, MNJ Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Centre, L V 
Prasad Eye Institute, Basavatarakamma Indo American Cancer Hospital & 
Research Institute are all located in Hyderabad. Companies like Dr. 
Reddy's Laboratories, Mylan, Albany, Novartis, Aurobindo Pharma, Bharat 
Biotech are headquartered in Hyderabad.
    Ahmedabad--This is the largest city in Gujarat and the 7th largest 
city in India, with a population of nearly 6 million. This is one of 
the fastest growing and most business-friendly states in India and has 
some of the country's most dynamic entrepreneurs. The state's capital, 
Gandhinagar, is the second planned city in the country and is located 
just 32 kilometers from Ahmedabad, the commercial capital of Gujarat.
    At present, there are approximately 3,500 drug manufacturing 
facilities in Gujarat. The state houses several established companies, 
such as Torrent Pharma, Zydus Cadila, Alembic, Sun Pharma Claris, Intas 
Pharmaceuticals and Dishman Pharmaceuticals, which have operations in 
the world's major pharmaceutical markets. The first pharmacy college in 
India was established in Gujarat--L.M. College of Pharmacy--in 1947 and 
provides diploma, bachelor and master courses in pharmacy. There are 
other education institutions and research centers of renown active in 
Gujarat, namely Nirma Institute of Pharmacy, Zydus Research Center, 
B.V. Patel PERD center, National Research Center for Medicines & 
Aromatic Plants, Sun Pharma Research Center, MS University of Vadodara 
etc. Over the last few years, Gujarat's contribution in the growth of 
India's pharmaceutical/healthcare industry has been significant. 
Gujarat has a 42% share of India's pharmaceutical/healthcare business.

Mission Scenario

    Participation in the mission will include the following:
     Pre-travel briefings/webinars;
     Airport transfers in New Delhi, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad;
     Embassy/consulate and industry briefings;
     Pre-scheduled meetings with representatives of medical 
colleges, dental colleges, pharmacy colleges, nursing colleges, 
hospitals, pharmaceutical companies in all three cities; and
     Site visits and interaction with students pursuing various 
streams of healthcare education.

Proposed Mission Schedule--January 27-February 1, 2014

Sunday--January 26, 2014
--Arrive in New Delhi (evening arrival)
--Check into hotel

New Delhi--January 27-28, 2014

Monday, January 27, 2014
--Embassy Briefing
--Government of India (GOI) meeting(s)
--Working Lunch hosted by University or by a trade association
--Site visit
--Networking event with New Delhi-based top Indian Pharmaceutical 
Company
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
--One-on-one matchmaking meetings
--Late afternoon departure for Hyderabad
--Arrive in Hyderabad and check into hotel

Hyderabad--January 28-30, 2014

Wednesday, January 29, 2014
--Consular briefing
--One-on-one matchmaking meetings
--Luncheon hosted by TBD
--Site visit
Thursday, January 30, 2014
--Half day site visit TBD
--Late afternoon depart for Ahmedabad
--Arrive in Ahmedabad and check into hotel.

Ahmedabad--January 31-February 1, 2014

Friday, January 31, 2014
--Briefing by industry experts
--Site visits (Pharma Companies/Hospital/College)
--Networking lunch with industry representatives
--One-on-one matchmaking meetings (Half day)
Saturday, February 1, 2014
--Half day site visit--to be finalized
--Late afternoon departure from Ahmedabad. Fly via New Delhi to USA

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

[[Page 42507]]

conditions and best satisfy the selection criteria as outlined below. 
The mission will be open on a first-come, first-served basis to 15 
regionally accredited U.S. Universities/colleges offering graduate 
programs and 4-year undergraduate programs.

Conditions for Participation

    An applicant must submit a timely, completed and signed mission 
application and supplemental application materials, including adequate 
information on the applicant's accreditation, courses offerings, 
primary market objectives, and goals for participation. If the U.S. 
Department of Commerce receives an incomplete application, the 
Department may reject the application, request additional information, 
or take the lack of information into account when evaluating the 
applications.
    All applicants seeking to participate must be appropriately 
accredited by one of the six regional institutional accreditors in the 
United States. Each participant is subject to and must meet the US&FCS 
service eligibility requirements.

Selection Criteria for Participation

--Consistency of the applicant's goals and objectives with the stated 
scope of the mission.
--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.

Fees and Expenses

    After a representative of a regionally accredited graduate program 
or 4-year undergraduate program 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 $3150 for one 
principal representative from each regionally accredited education 
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.

Timeframe 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 November 1, 2013. The mission 
will be open on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications received 
after November 1, 2013 will be considered only if space and scheduling 
constraints permit.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 

U.S. Commercial Service in India

Sathya Prabha, Commercial Assistant, Hyderabad, Tel: (91-40) 2330 4025, 
Email: [email protected].

U.S. Export Assistance Center

Patrick Kenny, International Trade Specialist, Central-Southern NJ, 
Tel: 1 609 896 2731, Email: [email protected].

Elnora Moye,
Trade Promotion Assistant.
[FR Doc. 2013-16816 Filed 7-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P