"Multilateral cooperation, and a strong Europe-Asia relationship, is crucial for the global recovery. We believe it is important for all our Asian partners to work together to ‘build back better’ – in a greener, digital, sustainable, and inclusive way in the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic", said Niccolo Rinaldi, head of unit - Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union, European Parliament.

Speaking at the inaugural program of a six-day Winter School on “EU-Asia Relations in a Multipolar World” on Monday, January 10 jointly organised by the Manipal Centre for European Studies (MCES), a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, and Nordic Centre in India at Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Rinaldi also acknowledged the importance of collaboration and exchange between the EU member states and Asian countries in the education process. He stressed the critical role of universities like Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) as interlocutors of strengthening the EU's ties with Asia.