New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS): Indian Information Service (IIS) officers are to be trained at Brisbane's Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in the use of modern technology and social media, according to an agreement inked here Monday.

The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) and QUT inked the pact to collaborate in academic programmes on media and communications.

IIMC chairman and secretary (Information and Broadcasting) Bimal Julka and QUT Vice Chancellor Peter Coaldrake signed the agreement.

One of the core areas of the agreement is to facilitate training of senior and mid-level IIS officers in the use of modern technology and social media for providing information about government policies to stakeholders. The objective is to ensure skill development of in critical areas of the changing media landscape, said a statement here.

Both institutes have agreed for development of joint venture projects and for opening avenues for developing collaborative doctoral programme to benefit students and faculty. The bilateral cooperation agreement envisages organization of joint academic and scientific activities, such as courses, conferences, seminars, symposia or lectures, exchange of staff and students and exchange of materials and publications of common interest, said the statement.

This is the first agreement signed by IIMC seeking international collaboration and partnership with a foreign university. The agreement aims to facilitate a two-way value added training and capacity building programme in the field of Mass Media & Communication, the statement said.