In a significant advancement toward realizing the goals of NEP 2020, India has issued a Letter of Intent (LoI) to the University of Southampton, UK, for establishing its first campus in India. The event, held on August 29, 2024, in New Delhi, was graced by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. This move marks a pivotal step in the internationalization of Indian education, offering students unique global exposure while grounding their learning in Indian values.
The University of Southampton, ranked among the top 100 higher education institutions worldwide, will now be the first foreign university to set up a campus in India under the UGC’s new regulations for foreign university campuses. This initiative aims to elevate educational standards, foster global understanding, and strengthen India’s role as a hub for educational innovation.
Dr. Jaishankar highlighted that this initiative aligns with the vision of enhancing India’s educational standards and strengthening India-UK educational ties. He noted that such collaborations would better prepare Indian youth for global challenges and emphasize India’s growing educational influence.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan described this development as a significant step towards ‘internationalization at home,’ a core objective of NEP 2020. He praised the commitment to building a future of educational excellence, innovation, and global cooperation. Pradhan also welcomed more top international institutions to India, seeing this as an opportunity to create a dynamic ecosystem for research and knowledge exchange.
The new University of Southampton campus will offer programs in business management, computing, law, engineering, art and design, and biosciences. The initial courses will include BSc in Computer Science, Business Management, Accounting and Finance, and MSc in International Management and Finance, among others. This initiative is expected to enhance India’s position as a leading global education destination and further bolster India-UK relations.
