India moves ahead with global education push as five foreign universities get campus approval

India’s plan to become a global education hub is progressing steadily. Five foreign universities have recently received Letters of Intent (LoIs) to open campuses in the country, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan confirmed. These approvals were granted after evaluation by the University Grants Commission (UGC), as per a report by The Times of India.

The universities include Victoria University and Western Sydney University from Australia, University of Liverpool from the UK, Illinois Institute of Technology from the US, and Istituto Europeo di Design from Italy. An additional six applications are currently being reviewed by the Liberalized Degree Campuses (LDC) committee.

Also Read

• New study uncovers the world’s most and least satisfying jobs, and the results will shock you: Is it not about money or status?

So far, three foreign universities have already established campuses in India. These include Deakin University and University of Wollongong from Australia at Gujarat’s GIFT City, and the University of Southampton from the UK in Gurgaon.

Also Read

• Cabinet ministers to CEOs: Prominent Indians who studied at Harvard before Trump’s foreign student ban

“Several universities are in the pipeline. Out of them, five have received LoIs. As per my knowledge, six more are under scrutiny and being evaluated by our LDC committee,” Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told TOI in an exclusive interview. “We’ve engaged with several top global universities with high QS rankings and strong funding — only such universities will be considered. They must meet all our criteria,” he added.

The new campuses are expected to focus on courses in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and management — areas marked as national priorities.

This development follows regulatory changes introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The policy supports the entry of foreign universities by easing regulations and allowing them to set up independent campuses, design their own curricula, and admit students on their own terms. These changes are aimed at creating a more open and flexible higher education system in India.

At the state level, efforts are also underway. Last week, the Maharashtra government signed a memorandum of understanding with York University from Canada during the Web Summit, signalling growing state-level interest in international academic partnerships.

“Our intention is not just to allow foreign universities to come, but to bring in the best,” said Pradhan. He called the recent approvals “a confirmation of India’s growing global reputation in education.”

India is also expanding its presence abroad. IIT Madras has opened a campus in Zanzibar, while IIT Delhi is setting up one in Abu Dhabi. These moves reflect India’s shift from a student-sending nation to a knowledge-exporting country.

One of the government’s aims is to retain Indian students who would otherwise study abroad, saving costs for families and building local capacity. It also hopes to attract international students from neighbouring countries. “This is about making world-class education accessible at home,” said Pradhan.

If the current momentum continues, India could soon see a dynamic mix of foreign and Indian universities operating together — building a strong, internationally connected education ecosystem.

(With inputs from TOI)