India, Australia to appoint Academic Chair in Ayurveda

New Delhi, Sept 8: In a huge development, India and Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to appoint an Academic Chair in Ayurveda. The MoU was signed between the All India Institute of Ayurveda under the Ministry of Ayush and NICM Western Sydney University Australia.

 

The MoU was signed by Professor Tanuja Nesari, Director, All India Institute of Ayurveda, Ministry of Ayush and Vice-Chancellor and President, Western Sydney University, Australia, Professor Barney Glover in presence of Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary Ayush and Mr. Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment and Foreign Affairs of Australia.

 

The new Academic Chair will undertake academic and collaborative research activities in Ayurveda, including herbal medicine and yoga, as well as design academic standards and short-term/medium-term courses and educational guidelines. This Chair will also conduct workshops/seminars/conferences on Ayurveda, advocate the safe and effective use of Ayurveda Systems in Australia, identify in academic and research programs on Ayurveda their strengths and gaps.

 

 

The Chair would also provide tutorials to students, including the promotion of research activities and innovations in Ayurveda in India, provide academic leadership demonstrating and fostering excellence in teaching research and policy development related to Ayurveda, within the robust Australian regulatory frame work, to develop strategies to promote the translation and integration of well evidence based Ayurveda medicines into conventional healthcare.

 

Professor Linda Taylor Pro Vice Chancellor, WSU Australia and Professor Barney Glover Vice Chancellor and President, WSU Australia, gave the welcome address and highlighted that this initiative would largely benefit both the countries and will encourage research innovation and collaboration and will also help in developing social and economical development as well as improve the health status of people. The opening Ministerial remarks given by the Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, emphasized on necessity of the Chair MoU and assured cooperation and support of Ministry of Ayush.

 

 

This Ayurveda Academic Chair will be based at Western Sydney University’s NICM Health Research Institute, located on the West mead campus, with tenure for a period of three years. The appointment of the chair is jointly funded by the Ministry of Ayush and Western Sydney University and anticipated to commence early in 2022.