University of Southampton first to set up full Indian campus in Gurugram

UK's University of Southampton has opened a full-fledged campus in Gurugram, becoming the first foreign university to do so in India under UGC rules. It will offer UK-aligned UG and PG courses

The University of Southampton, based in the United Kingdom, officially inaugurated its campus in Gurugram on Wednesday, becoming the first foreign university to establish a fully operational campus in India under the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations.

 

The launch event was attended by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who both welcomed the development as a key moment in India's higher education reforms, according to a report by the Press Trust of India.

 

The university had received a Letter of Intent (LoI) last year, following the UGC's guidelines for foreign higher education institutions setting up campuses in India.

 

"This marks a momentous milestone towards internationalisation of education at home under NEP 2020, and also towards strengthening the education pillar of India-UK cooperation as envisioned in the India-UK Roadmap 2030," said Pradhan.

 

He also praised the swift establishment of the campus, noting that it was built within a year of receiving the LoI. "University of Southampton has set up this state-of-the-art campus within a year of receiving the LoI. I am confident that the campus, with its basket of forward-looking courses and Southampton's legacy of academic excellence, will emerge as a distinguished institution shaping leaders of tomorrow," he added.

 

Focus on STEM and global problem-solving

 

Pradhan encouraged the university’s leadership to introduce STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) courses at the Gurugram campus and said it should serve as a centre for addressing global challenges.

 

"Education has been placed at the heart of India's development. Through the internationalisation of education at home, India is being envisioned as a global knowledge destination, reviving its civilisational legacy and reigniting its intellectual heritage from Pushpagiri and Nalanda to Gurugram," he said.

 

"I invite other leading universities across the world to come to India for co-creating ecosystems of innovation, research and education," Pradhan added.

 

Courses and global opportunities for students

 

The Gurugram campus will provide undergraduate and postgraduate degrees that align with UK academic standards. Students will also have the opportunity to spend up to one year at the University of Southampton's campuses in the UK or Malaysia.

 

From 2025, the campus will offer BSc programmes in Computer Science, Economics, Accounting & Finance, and Business Management. It will also provide MSc courses in Finance and International Management.

 

Support from Haryana and UGC

 

CM Saini expressed his support for the initiative and reiterated the state’s commitment to developing Gurugram as a hub for global education and innovation.

 

"NEP 2020 positions India as a global hub for education, research, and innovation," he said, while Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi added, "I am confident that the University of Southampton, with its legacy of academic excellence, will offer quality education in critical areas like Computer Science, Economics, International Business, and Management, contributing to India's priorities in digital innovation and global leadership."

 

Joshi also highlighted the UGC’s streamlined process for enabling such partnerships and noted that the new campus would strengthen ties between Indian and global academic communities.

 

Diverse student body and global faculty

The first intake at the Indian campus includes high-performing students from across India and countries such as the UAE and Nepal.

 

The university plans to recruit more than 75 full-time faculty members, all of whom will meet UK academic benchmarks and undergo the University’s Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice. These educators bring experience from countries including the UK, UAE, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Germany, Japan, and the United States.

 

The University of Southampton boasts a global alumni network of over 290,000, including more than 1,700 from India. Many alumni are expected to support the new campus by acting as mentors and industry liaisons.