The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has set ambitious goals for the internationalization of education in India. Its vision is to make the Indian education system self-reliant and aligned with global standards, thereby attracting more international students. NEP 2020 promotes research and teaching collaborations, faculty and student exchanges with leading foreign institutions, and the establishment of mutually beneficial partnerships with international universities. It encourages high-performing Indian universities to set up campuses abroad while facilitating the entry of top-ranking global institutions into India.
On August 30, 2024, a significant milestone was achieved when the Ministry of Education issued a Letter of Intent (LoI) to the University of Southampton, UK, allowing it to establish its first-ever campus in India. As a university ranked among the top 100 higher education institutions globally, Southampton’s presence in India promises to elevate the country’s educational landscape. This campus will offer Indian students a unique blend of global exposure and education rooted in Indian values. It marks the first foreign university to receive an LoI under the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations for establishing campuses in India.
This development is poised to transform the Indian higher education sector, intensifying competition as more international universities express interest in setting up branch campuses and forming partnerships with Indian institutions for dual degrees, joint degrees, twinning arrangements, and credit transfers. Australian universities, such as Deakin University and the University of Wollongong, have already set up campuses in India under the GIFT City model in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. These campuses benefit from special economic zones offering tax exemptions and profit repatriation allowances.
But why is internationalization within India so crucial? What benefits will students gain from attending an international university on Indian soil? The answer lies in both internal and external factors. Post-COVID-19, with ongoing conflicts and unstable economies in the West, visa restrictions, job uncertainties, and shifting immigration policies in countries like the UK, Canada, the US, Australia, and New Zealand have made studying abroad increasingly challenging for Indian students. Domestically, there is a significant demand-supply gap in higher education opportunities. With 11 to 13 million students passing Grade 12 annually in India, there are insufficient seats in high-demand fields such as engineering, medical, and business courses. Additionally, many Indian institutions lack high-quality, skill-based education.
Welcoming renowned higher education institutions to set up campuses in India is a practical solution to this issue. Over time, we will assess the quality of these setups and determine if students will trust these international brands as they would their own country’s institutions.
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