Opening of Foreign University Campuses + Higher Education Expansion
India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has opened doors for foreign universities to set up independent campuses in India for the first time. This move aims to:
Make world-class education accessible domestically.
Reduce brain drain (Indian students going abroad).
Increase global collaboration, research, and innovation.
The change marks a historic shift — from an inward-looking higher education system to one integrated with the global academic ecosystem.
What’s Happening Right Now (as of late 2025)
1. Nine UK Universities Approved
According to India’s Ministry of Education and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri (Oct 2025):
“Nine leading UK universities have received permission to establish campuses in India under NEP 2020.”
Some of the universities granted approval (as reported):
University of Birmingham
University of Manchester
University of Warwick
University of Glasgow
University of Leeds
University of Edinburgh (under consideration)
King’s College London (pilot collaboration model)
These campuses will offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, with the same academic standards and curriculum parity as their UK bases.
GIFT City Gujarat – The Pioneer Hub
The first foreign campuses (Deakin University, Australia and University of Wollongong) started operations in 2024–2025 in GIFT City, Gujarat, marking a milestone.
Courses offered: data science, cyber-security, business analytics, and financial technology.
Mode: Fully independent campuses with faculty autonomy.
Students enrolled: ~600+ in the first intake combined.
These successes encouraged the government to replicate this model across other Indian cities (Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Delhi NCR).
Beyond UK & Australia — More to Come
Negotiations are ongoing with:
US universities (Arizona State University, Northeastern University)
European institutions (Sorbonne, TU Munich, University of Amsterdam)
Asian universities (Singapore Management University, National University of Singapore)
India aims to approve 25 foreign campuses by 2030.











