The UK’s University of Southampton has been granted a licence by the Indian government to establish a comprehensive campus. The branch campus in Gurgaon will start academic programs in July 2025.
According to M Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman, UGC, the courses will cover business and management, computing, law, engineering, art and design, biosciences and life sciences.
“With the starting of an Indian campus of the University of Southampton will be beneficial for students, in terms of extending course and study opportunities in India, and for research, knowledge exchange, enterprise and engagement,” he said.
The degrees awarded by the Indian campus of University of Southampton will be the same as those of the host University. The programs offered in the branch campus of the University of Southampton in India will have the same standards.
It may be recalled that the University Grants Commission (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023 was notified in November last year. Following this, a Standing Committee was set up to examine proposals from foreign higher educational institutions in India. Applications are to be submitted online.
As of now, Australian universities, including Deakin University and the University of Wollongong, have opened a branch campus located in GIFT City. Malaysia’s Lincoln University College was the first foreign university to apply through UGC’s dedicated application portal.