UK university first to get go-ahead for India branch campus under NEP 2020

The University of Southampton was on Thursday granted approval by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to establish a branch campus in India, making it the first global top 100 and UK Russell Group university to set up a campus in the country under the 2020 National Education Policy.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan handed over the Letter of Intent (LoI) in New Delhi as part of the internationalisation at home vision under the NEP 2020.

Jaishankar said the move is part of the goal of elevating the country's educational standards to the highest global levels and delivering on the education pillar of India-UK cooperation.

Confident that such endeavours will further make our youth world ready and foster a spirit of global understanding and cooperation, he said.

Pradhan said the move taps into the potential of India as a global education and talent hub of the future, with globally renowned higher education institutions (HEIs) keen to establish multi-faceted collaborations with top Indian institutions.

Establishment of campuses of foreign universities in India and Indian HEIs abroad is not just about expanding educational opportunities, it is about creating a vibrant ecosystem of research, knowledge exchange and global collaboration.

Educational institutions across countries have a responsibility to produce global citizens with global ethos who can provide solutions to global challenges, said Pradhan.

The new university campus is expected to be located in Gurugram, within the National Capital Region (NCR), to provide world-class teaching and learning opportunities for students across a range of top degree programmes.

The university said it will build on the strategic objectives, leadership and expertise of the University of Southampton India Centre established in March 2019 as part of the institution's long-standing engagement in and with India.

The University of Southampton is privileged to be approved to establish a campus in India. Building on our long-standing and deep ties, a campus is the logical next step in developing a closer partnership with India, said Professor Andrew Atherton, Vice-President of International at the University of Southampton.

We have worked closely with the India Business Group (IBG) on certain strategic matters and stakeholder engagement, and we look forward to doing so as the campus develops, and we build even stronger ties with businesses, partners and stakeholders in India, he said.

IBG said its expertise as a strategic advisory consultancy working in the UK-India corridor will assist the University of Southampton with stakeholder engagement, industry liaison and fostering business links.

This is truly a landmark moment for the rapidly evolving UK and India relationship. IBG is delighted to be working with Southampton as one of its strategic advisory partners, said Amarjit Singh, IBG Chief Executive and an alumnus of the UK university.

We acknowledge that education, research and innovation are key pillars of the bilateral relationship, and this exciting development will promote academic excellence, engagement with industry and government and strengthen the living bridge between our two great nations, he said.

IBG said it is already working closely with the university's senior leadership team and the International Office to support deeper in-country engagement with academia, industry and government.

NEP 2020 published a commitment to enhance the higher education landscape across India, with new policy developments and innovations in transnational education offering exciting avenues for global institutions to collaborate and develop new models of engagement in-country. According to experts, as one of the world's fastest-growing economies with over 25 per cent of the world's student population, India is well positioned to become a global talent hub for skilled workforce.

In setting up a comprehensive campus, the University of Southampton says it will adopt a phased expansion leveraging its triple helix strategy, which integrates education, research, enterprise and knowledge transfer. Recognised as one of Europe's most entrepreneurial universities, Southampton claims strong industry partnerships with globally leading businesses such as Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Microsoft.