India’s Higher Education Landscape is Transforming: A New Era of Global Campuses and Strategic Partnerships
In recent years, India’s higher education scene has been quietly but significantly transforming. Imagine walking the bustling streets of Bangalore, where just around the corner, the gates of the University of Liverpool’s new campus are opening to welcome ambitious young minds. For many students and parents, this news is both exciting and reassuring. The opportunity to receive a world-class education right at home means avoiding the steep costs and emotional challenges often associated with studying abroad.
Dharmendra Pradhan, India’s Minister of Education, recently announced that by the current academic year, as many as fifteen foreign universities plan to establish campuses across India. This is a remarkable development in a country where studying abroad has traditionally been the route to international education.
The University of Southampton in the UK paved the way earlier this year by opening its campus in Gurgaon, Haryana. Following closely is the University of Liverpool, which has secured formal approval from India’s University Grants Commission (UGC) to set up a campus in Bangalore, Karnataka’s capital and India’s thriving tech hub. Bangalore, often dubbed the “Silicon Valley of India,” is home to global giants like Infosys, CISCO, and Wipro, as well as major centers for Google and Microsoft. The arrival of Liverpool University here not only brings prestigious education closer to home for many but also places students at the heart of India’s booming tech ecosystem.
For many families, the rising cost of studying overseas can be overwhelming. Beyond tuition, expenses such as accommodation, living costs, visa procedures, and the challenges of adapting to a foreign culture can be significant hurdles. Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), understands these concerns well. “Many foreign universities charge international students higher fees,” he explains, “but studying in India helps reduce this financial burden significantly. Moreover, living costs are generally lower here, making quality education more accessible and affordable.”
Take Amit, a student from Mumbai, for example. He once dreamed of pursuing a computer science degree in the UK but faced repeated delays due to the pandemic and financial limitations. Now, with the University of Liverpool campus opening in Bangalore, Amit and his family see a new horizon—a chance to study at a world-class institution without leaving the country.
It’s not only British universities that are expanding their footprint in India. Australian universities such as Deakin University, University of Wollongong, Western Sydney University (WSU), as well as the University of Victoria, are all gearing up to open campuses. American institutions like Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) and Italy’s Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) are also part of this wave.
Western Sydney University plans to establish its first campus in Noida, near New Delhi, with permission sought to expand to Mumbai and other locations. WSU is no stranger to overseas campuses, having opened a branch in Surabaya, Indonesia, last year. Known for its leadership in innovation and technology education, WSU’s expansion underscores the growing demand for practical, future-ready skills in India.
The University of Victoria, meanwhile, has kept its Indian campus location under wraps but has expressed a commitment to offering flexible learning models tailored to local needs. Their focus will be on business, IT, and hospitality management—fields that are directly aligned with India’s rapidly growing service sectors.
Illinois Tech will become the first American university to open a physical campus in Mumbai, leveraging its strengths in engineering, technology, and applied sciences. This move is part of Illinois Tech’s broader strategy to deepen its presence in Asia, which recently included approval from China’s Ministry of Education to partner with Beijing Information Science and Technology University to establish the Illinois Engineering School in China.
Italy’s Istituto Europeo di Design, renowned for its excellence in fashion, design, and visual communication, has campuses across Rome, Milan, Turin, and Venice, as well as locations in Spain and Brazil. Now, IED aims to bring its rich European creative traditions to India, providing aspiring designers with access to global expertise right at home.
The University of Liverpool plans to welcome its first batch of undergraduate and postgraduate students in August 2026. Early courses will cover business management, accounting and finance, computer science, and biomedical sciences. Notably, the university will also introduce a game design program—a unique offering among British universities in India. This innovative step caters to India’s booming gaming industry and the rising interest among young Indians in digital entertainment and technology careers. Liverpool will also offer opportunities for British students to study in India through exchange programs, fostering true two-way international academic collaboration.
Liverpool’s Vice-Chancellor Tim Jones remarked, “India’s ambitious and visionary goal to increase higher education enrollment is inspiring. Establishing a campus in Karnataka and Bangalore feels like a natural next step, strengthening our existing partnerships and collaborations in the region.” The Bangalore campus is envisioned as a research-intensive environment where foundational, applied, and industry-driven research will address a variety of global and local challenges.
However, this surge of foreign universities entering India also occurs amid complex geopolitical considerations. Following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in India-controlled Kashmir, on April 22, India’s leading universities have taken a cautious stance. Many have severed or reconsidered partnerships with universities from Turkey, Pakistan, and Bangladesh—countries perceived as politically hostile due to their support for Pakistan’s military actions in the region.
Institutions such as Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, and several Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in Roorkee and Mumbai, have canceled cooperation agreements with Turkish universities or are actively reviewing these ties. The Association of Indian Universities has also encouraged Indian higher education institutions to terminate academic partnerships with universities from these countries.
While these moves are motivated by national security concerns, some Indian academics privately worry that politicizing academic collaborations may undermine the reputation and autonomy of Indian universities. There is a fear that such actions could brand Indian institutions as unreliable international partners, vulnerable to abrupt policy shifts driven by geopolitical tensions. This could ultimately deter foreign universities from establishing campuses in India, potentially limiting educational opportunities.
Pankaj Mittal of AIU offers a balanced view. She emphasizes that while AIU calls on institutions to prioritize national interests and reconsider relationships with universities from countries viewed as unfriendly, these are recommendations rather than binding mandates. “We encourage universities to independently assess their international collaborations,” she explains, “making decisions that safeguard national interests while respecting academic freedom and cooperation.”
The balancing act is delicate. India’s academic community must navigate how to maintain openness and international exchange while protecting its sovereignty and security. Education is more than knowledge transmission; it is a crucible for culture, values, and diplomacy. Many policymakers and scholars recognize that this path requires both caution and wisdom.
Looking at the bigger picture, the influx of foreign universities setting up campuses in India signals a promising expansion of educational access and diversity. Students from all corners of the country gain unprecedented options to pursue world-class degrees without the financial or emotional toll of overseas study. At the same time, Indian higher education institutions are redefining their roles on the global stage—building bridges of knowledge and innovation, yet mindful of geopolitical realities.
Behind every classroom door, a unique story unfolds. Students absorb new knowledge, parents craft hopeful futures, academics shine on international platforms, and policymakers shape the framework for this historic evolution. India’s higher education sector today is like Bangalore itself—a vibrant, dynamic ecosystem where cutting-edge technology meets deep cultural roots, moving confidently toward an open, prosperous future.