The Obama-Singh higher education collaboration announced two years earlier will be rolled out next month. Human resource development minister Kapil Sibal and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton will meet in Washington on 13 October to discuss the bilateral programme.

“It will give shape to the initiative announced jointly by Indian Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) and US President (Barack Obama),” said an HRD ministry spokesperson.

India wants to set up 14 theme-based universities, promote research, train teachers and brand a group of leading educational institutes the Indian Ivy League under the Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative or OSI.

With an initial funding of $10 million (around Rs48.9 crore today) shared by both partners, the knowledge initiative will promote increasing university linkages, junior faculty development exchanges and teachers training.

A leading higher education institutes in India are facing a 20-35% shortage of faculty, according to data available with the HRD ministry. Central universities face a shortage of at least 30%.

To overcome this, institutes have been allowed to hire non-resident Indians and foreigners as well as opt for faculty exchange programmes.