New Delhi, Jan 12 (Inditop.com) Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal Tuesday left for an official tour to Britain to observe school education and private participation in the field and improve educational ties between the two countries.

“I will see school education, and the private participation,” Sibal said at his office before leaving.

“I will also meet my counterpart there. They are eager for some collaborations,” the minister added.

Britain is keen to have cooperation in the field of education – a sector that has the potential to earn struggling British institutions billions of pounds in revenue from Indians.

British universities, which face deep budget cuts, have been increasingly turning to foreign students from India and China for revenues. Some estimates suggest foreign students bring in 8.5 billion pounds to the British economy each year.

S.C. Khuntia, a joint secretary at the HRD ministry and IIT Ropar director M.K. Surappa are among those who are accompanying Sibal during this tour. The minister will return Jan 17.