Melbourne: K'taka Ministerial delegation visits varsities, education hubs to explore collaborations
A high-level ministerial delegation from Karnataka, led by Medical Education Minister Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil and Dr. UT Ifthikhar Fareed, Chairman of the Karnataka State Allied & Healthcare Council, has arrived in Australia for an official visit aimed at exploring potential collaborations in medical education, healthcare, and the allied health sectors. The delegation, which will visit Melbourne and Sydney, intends to strengthen ties between Karnataka and Australia in these crucial fields.
The delegation arrived in Melbourne on 31st January 2025 and wasted no time in embarking on an ambitious itinerary, beginning with a significant meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. This meeting marked a promising start to the visit, with discussions focused on enhancing bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of healthcare education and research.
Following their meeting with the Prime Minister, the delegation’s agenda in Melbourne included several key engagements designed to facilitate deeper cooperation between Karnataka and Australia. The delegation attended a morning tea at the Victorian Parliament, where they had the opportunity to engage with various local policymakers, academics, and healthcare leaders. This was followed by an executive luncheon at RMIT University, which provided a platform for fruitful discussions on the integration of innovative medical practices, training programs, and educational exchanges between Karnataka and Australian institutions.
The day’s activities also included visits to the Epworth Richmond Healthcare Simulation & Education Centre and Monash Health, two of Melbourne’s leading healthcare facilities. At these institutions, the Karnataka delegation interacted with senior executives and medical professionals, discussing the latest advancements in healthcare training, simulation, and hands-on medical education. These visits are expected to lead to partnerships in areas such as medical simulations, research collaborations, and the development of joint programs to enhance the quality of healthcare education in Karnataka.
On 2nd February 2025, the delegation will travel to Sydney, where they will continue their efforts to forge new pathways for cooperation. The schedule in Sydney includes a visit to the Consul General’s office, where they will meet with consular officials and explore opportunities for international collaborations between the two regions. Additionally, they will hold meetings with representatives from some of Australia’s top universities, including the University of Sydney, UNSW Health, Macquarie University, and Western Sydney University. These discussions are aimed at fostering advanced training programs, research collaborations, and skill development initiatives in allied healthcare, with a focus on building expertise in areas like nursing, allied health sciences, and medical technology.
A particularly significant aspect of the delegation’s Sydney visit is the Healthcare Education Roundtable, which will take place at the NSW Parliament. The roundtable will bring together policymakers, academic leaders, and healthcare professionals from both Karnataka and Australia to discuss strategies for strengthening healthcare education and improving health outcomes through collaborative efforts. Additionally, the delegation will engage in discussions with Study NSW Government representatives, exploring ways to make Karnataka’s healthcare sector more competitive on the global stage through international partnerships.
The delegation’s schedule also includes visits to cutting-edge healthcare innovation centres such as Westmead Healthcare and the Liverpool Ingham Institute. These centres are recognized for their pioneering work in healthcare research and technology, and the Karnataka delegation is expected to explore opportunities for joint research, technology transfer, and the development of training programs in these advanced fields.
This visit is expected to pave the way for substantial collaborations between Karnataka and Australia, with the potential to improve healthcare education, create new training programs, and establish a framework for ongoing research and technological advancements.
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4.4 magnitude quake hits northern Pakistan
Islamabad (PTI): A 4.4 magnitude earthquake jolted parts of north and northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, the second tremor to hit the country in as many days.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The earthquake that struck at 9:30 am (local time) originated at a depth of 14 kilometres with its epicentre located 11 kms northeast of Burhan, Attock, according to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre, Islamabad.
Tremors were felt in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The Saturday morning quake came less than 24 hours after a 5.9 magnitude temblor struck parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces, with tremors felt in several cities, including Peshawar and Islamabad, on Friday.
The epicentre of that quake at 6:09 pm (local time) was in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region at a depth of 101 kilometres.
Earthquakes are common in northern Pakistan due to its location in the Himalayas where the Indian and the Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
Earlier, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake hit Balochistan province on February 13 but no loss to life or property was reported there too. Its epicentre was 86 kms northeast of Khuzdar town of the province.
The quake was preceded on the same day by another tremor of magnitude 3.8 that struck 75 kms southeast of Khuzdar at a depth of 33 kms.
The worst quake the country suffered was in 2005, which killed about 74,000 people.
