Globe and Mail, et al. - Universities go to school in India

India's economic growth is rocketing along at 9 per cent a year, doubling incomes every nine years, pulling millions out of poverty every month and making millionaires by the week. But staggering challenges remain. For example, half the population of 1.2 billion is under 25. India must create 20 million jobs a year for the next 10 years. But first, it must educate the young.

Canadian universities have to work harder and longer to break past their historic links with the U.S. and Europe. They've done so in China. That's one reason we have 20,000 Chinese students here. Canadian universities hope to forge research and other partnerships. McGill, Carleton, Waterloo and Queen's already have India-related centres. They and others hope to channel their specialized research into helping India meet its goals in alternate energy, sustainable environmental technology, health research, new drugs for malaria, clean water, etc.