Government of West Bengal and British Council sign MoU for educational and cultural collaboration

• The partnership aims at fostering education reform, enhancing language learning, and cultural exchange
• Joint programme to promote skills development, academic leadership, and international cooperation across educational and creative sectors 

Kolkata, 06 February 2025: British Council, the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural exchange, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of West Bengal. The partnership aims to bolster educational and cultural cooperation, supporting the state’s knowledge ambitions and economic growth by improving opportunities for young people, quality and higher education, and the creative economy.

The MoU was signed at the Bengal Global Business Summit 2025 in the presence of the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee by Alison Barrett MBE, Minister Education and Cultural Affairs, British High Commission, New Delhi and Director, British Council India. Other dignitaries present on the occasion included Dr. Manoj Pant, I.A.S. Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal; Binod Kumar, Principal Secretary of Education; Dr. Debanjan Chakrabarti, Director East and Northeast India, British Council and Dr. Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner, Kolkata.

As the British Council celebrates its 90th anniversary in India and West Bengal in 2027-28, the renewed MoU will continue to strengthen ties and deepen the UK’s partnerships with the state.

Binod Kumar, Principal Secretary of Education, Government of West Bengal, said: “We are delighted to partner with the British Council, further strengthening West Bengal’s international collaborations in education, culture and creative economy in order to empower our youth. This partnership marks a significant step towards educational excellence and cultural innovation, driving growth and development across the state. Through initiatives focused on enhancing language education, fostering faculty development, and promoting cultural exchange, we aim to equip the youth of West Bengal with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.”

 Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India, British Council, said, “I am delighted to formalise our partnership with the Government of West Bengal through this MoU, strengthening educational and cultural ties across the state. With the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s leadership and support, we will advance higher education collaboration and foster cultural exchange between UK and West Bengal. Together, we aim to equip students, educators, and creative communities with global opportunities and critical skills to enrich West Bengal’s knowledge economy and cultural landscape.”

The Government of West Bengal and the British Council have identified key areas of collaboration to strengthen educational and cultural cooperation –

• English Language Learning and School Education will focus on developing innovative programmes to support quality education initiatives, improving English language teacher skills, and supporting policy research in mother-tongue-based multilingual education.
• Education will involve reforming university curricula, internationalising higher education, and expanding collaboration through programmes such as the Going Global Partnership. Additionally, efforts will be made to build faculty capacity, promote gender equality, and enhance student and faculty mobility.
• Sharing of Culture, Creativity, and Ideas aims to improve cultural cooperation, promote cultural assets, and develop skills within the cultural sector. This will be achieved through initiatives such as joint projects, networking, and collaboration with major UK and international cultural platforms.

Since 2018, the British Council has worked with the West Bengal government across education, research, innovation, arts, and culture. The collaboration has delivered microbit coding training to teachers in 50 government schools, promoted West Bengal’s creative economy, including mapping the creative economy around the Durga Puja and showcasing the festival in London.