Centre clears three more foreign universities to establish campuses in India

Three more foreign universities are set to establish campuses in India, with the Ministry of Education handing over Letters of Approval to the University of Bristol, the University of York and the University of New South Wales on Monday.The approvals were issued under the University Grants Commission regulations that allow foreign higher educational institutions to set up and operate campuses in India.According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release, the Letters of Approval were handed over by Secretary, Department of Higher Education and Chairman, University Grants Commission, Dr Vineet Joshi, in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.The approvals add to a growing list of foreign institutions entering India as part of the internationalisation agenda outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.The University of Bristol will establish its Mumbai Enterprise Campus and has proposed programmes in immersive arts, finance, data science, economics, business management, entrepreneurship and innovation.The University of York will set up its first overseas campus in Mumbai. Proposed programmes include finance, computer science with artificial intelligence, cyber security, business, economics, creative industries and management.The University of New South Wales will establish its campus in Bengaluru. According to the PIB release, the institution plans to begin operations from August 2026 at Manyata Business Park. It will offer programmes in business, computer science and cyber security.The university also plans to deepen engagement with India in areas such as renewable energy, health, transport and education, the release said.Speaking at the event, Pradhan said the establishment of campuses by the three universities was another step towards advancing the internationalisation vision of the National Education Policy 2020.According to the PIB release, the minister said the institutions would strengthen quality education, global learning partnerships and research collaboration in India.He also noted that Bristol and York had chosen Mumbai for their campuses, while the University of New South Wales would be based in Bengaluru, describing the two cities as important knowledge, technology and innovation centres.Representatives from the British High Commission, Australian High Commission, British Council, Ministry of Education, University Grants Commission and the three universities attended the ceremony.With the latest approvals, five Letters of Approval have now been issued under the University Grants Commission regulations for foreign higher educational institutions.According to the PIB release, the University of Southampton and the University of Liverpool had previously received approvals. The University of Southampton has already begun academic operations from the 2025-26 session.The University Grants Commission has also issued 10 Letters of Intent to foreign higher educational institutions from the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Italy for establishing campuses across India.Separately, Deakin University, the University of Wollongong and Queen's University Belfast have already started operations in GIFT City.The Ministry of Education said the foreign university campuses are expected to expand access to international education within India, promote academic mobility, strengthen research and innovation, and create new opportunities for Indian students.The move is also expected to deepen education partnerships between India and countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia.The government has positioned the approvals as part of a broader effort to develop a globally competitive higher education system while encouraging leading international institutions to establish a presence in India.