As a major leap towards redesigning the higher education ecosystem in India, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has officially given out Letters of Intent (LoIs) to five foreign universities, authorising them to open campuses in India. This is a key milestone as per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which invites global institutions to impart international educational opportunities to students in India.
The LoI handover ceremony took place in Mumbai in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, acting UGC Chairperson Vineet Joshi, and officials from participating universities.
FIVE UNIVERSITIES WHICH WERE HANDED OVER THE LOLS ARE:
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University of York (UK)
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University of Western Australia (UWA)
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University of Aberdeen (UK)
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Illinois Institute of Technology (USA)
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IED Istituto Europeo di Design (Italy)
Such institutions are to establish their campuses mainly in Navi Mumbai as part of a master-planned International Education City close to the new Navi Mumbai International Airport. CIDCO-led and supported by the Maharashtra government, the project will create a 5-kilometre educational corridor where foreign universities will open undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
Notably, UWA is also constructing a second campus in Chennai to extend its academic presence in India.
The University of Aberdeen, which is one of Scotland’s oldest universities, is the first Scottish university to be given such permission in India. Its bid will now be presented before the university’s governing council next month for approval.
These institutions will take 18 months to set up their campuses and are expected to start enroling students by late 2026.
OTHER FOREIGN UNIVERISTIES IN INDIA
Besides these five universities, other foreign universities have already begun making plans to set up campuses in India.
The University of Southampton will start its inaugural admission cycle in Gurgaon this fall, and the University of Liverpool is ready to open its Bengaluru campus by September 2026.
This increased interest from international institutions highlights India’s role as an international education hub. With the world’s best universities opening up shop on Indian ground, students will no longer need to travel abroad for global-standard education — making it all accessible from home.