PM Modi’s UK Visit: 5 UK Universities to Open Campuses in India | Education Partnership

Towards an upward thrust of India-UK education tie-ups, five top-notch British universities are willing to lodge their campuses in Indian cities, as the very University of Southampton has already been set in Gurugram.

At a time when PM Modi visited London and held meetings with key across the UK education and diplomatic bodies, PM Modi has once again reiterated its desire to emerge as an education destination in the world.

There is also another landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed between India and the UK that is likely to drive the bilateral trade to $34billion annually redefining the economic relationship between the two countries drastically.

Speaking about the relationship between India and the UK, PM Modi said, "Today marks a historic day in our relations. I am delighted that after the hard work of several years, today our two nations have signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement."

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He said, "In the field of education, too, we are writing a new chapter together. Six universities in the UK are opening their campuses in India. Just last week, the University of Southampton inaugurated its first campus in the city of Gurugram in India."

"Six UK universities to open campuses in India," said PM Modi.

As per the High Commission of India and the Eastern Eye, five institutions namely University of Southampton, University of Liverpool, University of York, University of Aberdeen and University of Bristol have signed the letters of intent.

SOUTHAMPTON BEINGS FIRST IN GURUGRAM

The Russell Group Member and a world top 100 university, the University of Southampton is opening its Indian campus in the International Technology Park in Gurugram, this August.

It is the earliest international university to institutionalise a branch in India, under the 2023 UGC rules. Courses The campus will be launched with four undergraduate BSc programmes and two MSc courses that will offer the same curriculum and degrees as the UK campus.

They will also be free to study at least a year in the UK or in Malaysia.

Authorities have reported that Southampton got in excess of 800 applications and has already taken on board some 200 or so students on the outset and has plans of recruiting in excess of 75 of the faculty.

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BENGALURU LIVERPOOL NEXT

After Scotland came on board, the University of Liverpool has got the UGC nod to campus in Bengaluru but is focused at welcoming students to the campus by 2026-27, becoming the second Russell Group university to jump in the bandwagon.

Discussions are reportedly in progress for York, Aberdeen, and Bristol to set up campuses in Mumbai, expanding the scope of programmes in STEM and management fields.

STRONG INDIA-UK EDUCATION TIES

The expansion of UK university campuses builds on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UK, with both leaders-PM Modi and UK PM Keir Starmer-meeting at the G20 and G7 summits in 2024-25, and following a historic free trade agreement signed on July 24.

Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami, speaking at a London event on education collaboration, emphasised that the UK is “the first country to seize this opportunity” opened up by India’s regulatory reforms.

He highlighted provisions under the NEP 2020 and UGC rules that now allow top-ranked international universities to establish fully independent campuses in India.

TRANS NATIONAL EDUCATION -FUTURE PROSPECTS

These campuses cater to the needs of Indian students to receive British education within their homeland as well, which will save them the hassle of traveling to overseas thereby maintaining international curriculum and standards of education but at cheaper prices.

Relationships with industry partners like Southampton/Deloitte and Southampton/Investec also portends good internship and placement opportunities.

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