4 Foreign Universities Get UGC Nod to Set Up Campuses in India; LOIs Handed Over at ABSS 2025

Universities from Australia and the UK receive UGC approval to establish campuses in Greater Noida, Noida, Bengaluru, and Mumbai

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued Letters of Intent (LOIs) to four foreign universities for establishing their campuses in India. The LOIs were formally handed over by UGC Chairman Dr. Vineet Joshi in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam (ABSS) 2025 at Bharat Mandapam.

The four foreign universities that received the LOIs are:

University of Western Sydney, Australia – Greater Noida

Victoria University, Australia – Noida

La Trobe University, Australia – Bengaluru

University of Bristol, United Kingdom – Mumbai

The announcement is being seen as a landmark development under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which envisioned allowing top foreign institutions to operate in India to enhance academic standards, encourage student mobility, and foster global collaboration.

Speaking on the occasion, Dharmendra Pradhan said the move reflects the government’s commitment to making India a global education hub. “This is a significant milestone in our journey toward a Viksit Bharat. These partnerships will not only boost India’s academic reputation globally but also provide Indian students with access to world-class education at home,” he said.

UGC Chairperson Dr. Vineet Joshi added that the commission has been working proactively to operationalise the framework for foreign higher education institutions (FHEIs) under the UGC (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023.

The four universities granted LOIs will now begin the process of meeting UGC regulatory requirements and setting up physical infrastructure. Each institution has already submitted detailed proposals including campus plans, academic offerings, and governance structures. These institutions are expected to begin operations by the 2026–27 academic session, subject to final UGC approvals.