NEW DELHI: British universities are no longer just inviting Indian students to study in the United Kingdom – they are bringing their campuses to India instead.
Nine UK institutions are setting up operations in the world’s most populous nation, as Britain targets 40 billion pounds (US$53 billion) in education exports by 2030.
This also comes as fewer Indian students travel to the UK following tighter visa rules.
The University of Southampton was among the first to establish a physical presence in India, opening a campus outside the capital New Delhi in July last year.
It offers six undergraduate and four postgraduate programmes carrying a British accreditation, but at significantly lower fees than studying in the UK.
Its programmes are focused on employability in India, said Eloise Philips, academic provost at the University of Southampton’s Delhi campus.
“Most of our students actually want to work and stay out here in India and give back to the Indian economy, so we’re working with big industry partners to offer students that opportunity,” she told CNA.
“I think we’re bridging that gap. Embedded in all our UK curriculum is that focus on AI, the focus on being career-ready.”
The university’s expansion was made possible after India introduced new regulations in 2023 allowing foreign universities to set up campuses, giving them access to one of the world’s fastest-growing education markets.
Eight other UK institutions – including Liverpool, Bristol, York and Aberdeen – have announced similar plans.
EXPORT, SCALE OPPORTUNITIES
The push follows the India-UK free trade agreement signed last year, as well as a broader Vision 2035 framework that identifies education as a key pillar of bilateral cooperation.
For the UK, the move represents a significant export opportunity.
International education already contributes more than 30 billion pounds annually to the British economy, and expansion into India is expected to drive that figure higher. Offshore campuses are also becoming an increasingly important source of income for universities.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/uk-universities-expand-india-higher-education-visa-rules-demand-6030816
