In a boost to India’s higher education, the University of Southampton will become the first foreign institution to establish a campus in the country under new regulations set by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The announcement was made on Thursday during a formal event where External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar handed over a Letter of Intent (LoI) to university representatives.
The University of Southampton’s proposal to open a branch campus in Gurugram has been officially approved by the UGC. This move is in line with the UGC’s 2023 regulations, which facilitate the establishment and operation of foreign higher educational institutions in India. The regulations are part of the National Educational Policy (NEP) 2020 initiative, aiming to strengthen India’s global educational standing.
UGC Chairman M. Jagadesh Kumar highlighted that the degrees awarded by the Southampton campus in India will be equivalent to those from its UK counterpart. “The programs offered will maintain the same academic and quality standards as those in the host university,” Kumar affirmed. The Indian campus is expected to commence academic sessions in July 2025, offering a diverse range of courses in business and management, computing, law, engineering, art and design, biosciences, and life sciences.
While the University of Southampton is the first to establish a campus in India under these new guidelines, Australia’s Deakin University and the University of Wollongong have already set up campuses in Gujarat’s GIFT City, though these were not under the UGC regulations.
The University of Southampton, a member of the esteemed Russell Group of UK universities, aims to integrate its world-class education and research facilities with India’s dynamic talent pool. Mark E. Smith, President and Vice-Chancellor of the university, emphasised the strategic importance of India in global education. “Our intention is to create a campus that delivers both social value and economic impact, aligning with India’s transformative educational agenda,” Smith said.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan described the development as a significant step towards “internationalisation at home,” a key goal of the NEP 2020. He expressed enthusiasm for the growing interest from globally-renowned institutions in partnering with Indian universities and leveraging India’s potential as an educational and talent hub.
Andrew Atherton, Vice-President for International and Engagement at Southampton, noted that the Delhi-NCR campus will be a comprehensive international outpost. “Our graduates will be work-ready, equipped with both specialist and transferable skills to support India’s burgeoning knowledge economy. We will engage in research and partnerships to drive real-world impacts,” Atherton stated.
The new campus, along with offering a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, will also focus on promoting research and innovation. The UGC has projected that the campus will hire faculty from both India and abroad, ensuring a global standard of education.
