Partnership model led by Eruditus to see foreign universities retain academic control while the edtech firm manages operations; initial campuses to start in Mumbai before shifting to Edu City in Navi Mumbai.
Seven international universities are set to enter the Indian higher education market through a partnership model with edtech firm Eruditus, marking a significant step in the expansion of transnational education in India.
Under the structure, the edtech company will hold 49% stake in each venture, while the foreign universities will retain 51% ownership along with academic and curriculum control. The total investment across the initiatives is estimated at about ₹300 crore.
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Four of the institutions are expected to begin operations in Mumbai, before eventually shifting to the proposed Edu City in Navi Mumbai once the infrastructure is ready.
Universities in the initiative
The global institutions exploring programmes in India include:
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Illinois Institute of Technology (USA)
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University of Aberdeen (UK)
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University of Bristol (UK)
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University of Liverpool (UK)
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University of New South Wales (Australia)
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University of Victoria Delhi NCR
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University of York (UK)
Campus structure
Each campus is expected to begin with around 20 faculty members and about 250 students. The teaching model will combine visiting faculty from the universities’ home campuses along with India-based academic staff.
Operational responsibilities—including campus management, infrastructure and local administration—will be handled by the edtech partner, while academic oversight remains with the universities.
Why the partnership model?
The model reflects the cautious approach, hence most global universities adopt this while entering new markets.
Foreign universities typically prefer shared ownership structures that allow them to test demand in a new geography without taking on the full financial and operational burden of establishing independent campuses.
Early student interest
The initiative has already generated strong student interest. The seven institutions have collectively attracted around 3,000 applications for their upcoming programmes.
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Global context
The move also comes as universities in the US, UK, Australia and Canada face tighter visa regulations, funding pressures and caps on international student intake, prompting institutions to explore cross-border education partnerships and hybrid campus models.
For India, the development signals growing global confidence in the country’s higher education market, especially as demand rises for international degrees delivered closer to home.
