New Delhi, Dec 16 : Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal Wednesday said the government is open to Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) opening their branches abroad.

"The government is not opposed to IITs opening their branches outside of India," Sibal said here.

The ministry had earlier said that it may not be immediately feasible for the premier engineering institutions to open campuses abroad as they are facing faculty shortages and have to undertake 54 percent expansion in their intake to implement an OBC (Other Backward Class) quota.

Sibal, who was speaking at a Singapore Symposium here, said both India and Singapore will cooperate in setting up 14 innovation universities in India.

"India needs modern universities to bridge the huge skill shortage gap and Singapore can be the best country to partner with in this area. Infrastructure, education, and skill development are the potential areas of cooperation between the two countries," he said.

Sibal said India is grappling with the challenge of building architecture for 21st century cities and cooperation with Singapore in this sector can be beneficial in identifying a possible solution.

"Singapore has achieved an enormous level of excellence in innovation and India is rich in skilled manpower, and greater cooperation between the two countries can result in win-win opportunities for the two countries," he added.

Sibal said India has very recently initiated steps to reform the education sector and added that positive results are expected by 2014.(IANS)