Five Leading Universities from UK, US, Australia and Italy to Launch Campuses in India; Offering UG & PG Courses
During the event, Minister Pradhan emphasized that the NEP 2020 vision is to turn India into a “global study destination by offering premium education at an affordable cost.”
In a significant leap forward for India’s global education aspirations, five top-ranked foreign universities—Aberdeen University (Scotland) and the University of York (UK), Illinois Institute of Technology (US), the University of Western Australia, and Istituto Europeo di Design (Italy)—have been granted Letters of Intent to open offshore branch campuses in India.
The announcement was made at a high-profile ceremony in Mumbai, part of the ‘Mumbai Rising: Creating an International Education City’ event. The occasion, overseen by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and UGC Chairman, Dr. Vineet Joshi, marks the latest phase of higher education reform under NEP 2020
During the event, Minister Pradhan emphasized that the NEP 2020 vision is to turn India into a “global study destination by offering premium education at an affordable cost.” He noted that by allowing foreign universities to establish campuses here—and enabling Indian universities to expand globally—India is fostering a two-way exchange of ideas, talent, and trust. He called the inauguration of activities in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai a “massive stride” toward internationalisation, and underlined that foreign campuses would enrich the ecosystem of innovation, entrepreneurship, and research
Pradhan added that these universities, all ranked within the global top 500 by QS, would enjoy full autonomy over their curriculum, fees, academic sessions, and faculty recruitment. They are expected to begin UG and PG programmes in disciplines such as computer science, data science, business, public health, design, and related areas—critical for India’s future-ready workforce
Chief Minister Fadnavis, speaking at the event in Colaba, expressed that the move would position Mumbai and the proposed “EduCity” near Navi Mumbai airport as a major education and innovation hub. He added that the programmes would be priced 23–30% lower than equivalent offerings abroad, giving Indian students access to high-quality global education without needing to leave the country
This marks the third phase of approvals under the UGC’s 2023 regulations, following earlier approvals granted to the University of Southampton and the University of Liverpool, with Deakin and Wollongong already operating campuses in GIFT City, Gujarat. In total, seven universities have now received LoIs, with six more expected to join the initiative soon
Aberdeen and York from the UK, Illinois Tech from the US, the University of Western Australia, and Italy’s Istituto Europeo di Design will soon launch UG and PG campuses in Mumbai/Navi Mumbai—bringing global credentials, world-class curriculum, and reduced costs to Indian students, right at home.
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