UWA vice chancellor backs greater flexibility for two-way student mobility

University of Western Australia highlights regulatory and operational constraints as it opens applications for India campuses, while taking a long-term view on growth

India’s regulatory framework for foreign universities has been largely supportive, but some operational constraints remain in the early stages, said Amit Chakma, vice chancellor (VC) at the University of Western Australia (UWA), which opened applications this week for its planned campuses in Mumbai and Chennai.

 

Current norms do not allow students from India campuses to spend a term at the Perth campus, reflecting the regulator’s intent to ensure foreign institutions establish fully functional local universities, Chakma said, adding that there could be scope for greater flexibility on two-way student mobility over time.

 

He also pointed to operational challenges beyond regulation, including taxation rules that make it difficult for Perth-based faculty to teach short-term in India without relocating, and the need to test visa processes for international students. Addressing these, he said, would help strengthen academic integration and the overall student experience across campuses.

 

 

Chakma added the University Grants Commission (UGC) has been “very supportive” and responsive as the university navigates the new policy landscape, adding that initial restrictions are understandable given the model is being implemented for the first time.

 

Under the 2023 UGC regulations, top-ranked foreign universities are now allowed to set up independent campuses in India, offer full degrees across levels, and design their own admissions, fees, and hiring — subject to the Commission’s approval and parity with their home campus standards.

 

The University of Mumbai is among the institutions the UWA is looking to partner with as it builds its India presence, Chakma said, adding that the strategy is to collaborate rather than compete with domestic institutions. He said UWA already has a nascent partnership with IIT Madras and engagements with IIM campuses (such as Dhanbad and Mumbai), noting that highly selective institutions like IITs and IIMs cater to only a small share of the overall student pool.

 

Chakma said the UWA is taking a long-term view on its India campuses, targeting financial breakeven over five years, while focusing on building demand across the country. A key constraint, he noted, is student accommodation, which could limit the university’s ability to attract students from beyond metro cities in the initial phase.

 

Addressing housing infrastructure over time will be critical to drawing students from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, alongside planned outreach through nationwide roadshows, Chakma noted.

 

He added that the UWA is building its India strategy around industry integration and evolving course offerings, with a focus on employability outcomes. The university is engaging with both Australian companies operating in India and large domestic firms to create paid internship opportunities, with early response indicating strong interest in hiring high-quality graduates. Campus locations, he added, have been partly chosen to align with industry presence and improve access to such opportunities.

 

Programme design will continue to evolve based on demand signals from the Indian market, with the university already reassessing its portfolio for the next phase of approvals, said Chakma. He noted that areas such as sports science, where the UWA has existing strengths, are seeing growing demand in India and could be included in future course offerings, subject to regulatory clearance.