For ages, ambitious young minds of India have packed their bags, said teary goodbyes, and flown thousands of miles to chase the dream of an international education. But now Indian education is on the brink of transformation, and the World is now coming to India.
With Foreign Universities setting up campuses in India, Is Liberalization of the education sector coming up?
Western Sydney University of Australia to open campus in Greater Noida
In a landmark development, 15 renowned foreign universities are set to open their campuses in India during the 2025-26 academic year, bringing global education closer to home for Indian students.
This initiative, led by Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, showcases the nation’s goal to become a global education centre. The announcement spans numerous areas, with a strong emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, deemed essential for India’s future economic and technological progress.
Academic Collaborations between Indian and foreign universities are in full swing
Who’s Already Here? And Who’s Coming?
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- University of Liverpool gets UGC approval to open a campus in Bengaluru, set to welcome students in August 2026.
- Deakin University (Australia) and the University of Wollongong (Australia) have both established campuses in Gujarat’s GIFT City.
- The UK’s University of Southampton has set up in Gurgaon, right in the heart of India’s NCR region, offering its globally recognized programs to Indian students.
- Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago’s only tech-focused university, has become the first American university to receive formal approval from India’s University Grants Commission and is set to open a campus in Mumbai.
- The UK’s York University and the University of Western Australia also plan to set up campuses in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
- Victoria University (Australia) and Istituto Europeo di Design (Italy) have also gained UGC approval to open campus in India.
The University of Liverpool’s Bengaluru campus will offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Business Management, Accounting and Finance, Computer Science, Biomedical Sciences, and India’s first Game Design course from a UK university. The Bengaluru campus will be a lively research hub, tackling real-world challenges while giving students the chance to study abroad in Liverpool and beyond. Three key MoUs were signed on Monday to explore future collaborations with partners like the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, AstraZeneca India, YouWeCan, and Dream11.
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The University of Southampton was the first foreign university to receive a Letter of Intent from the UGC in 2023.
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ISSUE OF SHORTAGE OF FACULTY:
Allowing foreign universities in India provides students access to global degrees and career networks without the high costs of studying abroad, while staying close to home. This shift also elevates India’s higher education standard, fostering innovation and collaboration, positioning the country as a global education hub for students from Asia and Africa.
But there also remains a challenge that India needs to address and take necessary steps- the issue of a shortage of faculty. India is experiencing a severe shortage of faculty, with more than half of professorial vacancies lying unfilled in elite universities, alarming the nation as several foreign universities establish campuses at the same time. There are fears that this could exacerbate competition for scarce faculty talent, where talented teachers can be lured away from local institutions by offering higher compensation and facilities. While this talent drain poses challenges, foreign universities may also bring in visiting faculty and advanced teaching methods, potentially uplifting overall academic standards.
A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE:
To bring these global universities to Indian soil is a big move, but it serves as a reminder that today’s education is more border-free than ever. It also places India as an emerging global education centre, drawing not only domestic students but also learners from all of Asia and Africa who view India as a thrilling, cost-effective option compared to the West. As these 15 new campuses welcome students, everyone will be watching how they merge global quality and local applicability.
