Australian universities are increasingly focusing on India as a prime destination for establishing offshore campuses. According to Monica Kennedy, Head of South Asia for the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) in New Delhi, this trend is gaining momentum, with projections of another fully-fledged campus on a large scale within three years.
“We will have at least another university with a full campus in some part of India,” she said.
Currently, two Australian universities, University of Wollongong and Deakin University, have established campuses in India at GIFT City. Kennedy also outlined a vision for a larger campus in the future, capable of accommodating 5,000 to 10,000 students within the next five to 10 years.
These universities aim to offer transnational education or dual awards through twinning arrangements, enabling students to complete part of their studies in India and part in Australia.
She added that institutions are increasingly exploring opportunities in fields such as business, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels in technology-related domains like AI, cybersecurity, fintech, and health tech. These areas, she emphasised, present significant opportunities for Australian universities to engage with the Indian market.
The recent developments in Australian universities coming to India can be attributed to the close collaboration between the two governments. “We have closely aligned ambitions and strengths, making the alignment in our education partnerships critical,” she notes.
Additionally, there is significant interest from Indian universities in partnering with Australian campuses. Indian States are increasingly looking internationally to attract foreign campuses, as this provides students with more variety and the opportunity to stay closer to home. Australian universities are highly enthusiastic about this trend, with many actively exploring such opportunities.