The University of Southampton has become the first UK university to receive approval from the Indian government to establish a comprehensive campus in India, marking a significant milestone in the Indian education sector. This move aligns with the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) initiative to invite the top 500 foreign universities to set up campuses in India. A letter of intent (LoI) was handed over to the University of Southampton today, marking the formal beginning of this collaboration.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted the significance of this development under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, expressing confidence that such endeavor’s will further prepare Indian youth for global challenges and foster international cooperation.
The University of Southampton will establish its campus in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), focusing on education, research, knowledge exchange, and enterprise activities. Mark E Smith, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Southampton, highlighted the importance of this initiative, stating that no university can be truly global without engaging with India. Professor Andrew Atherton, vice-president of International and Engagement, emphasized the campus’s role in fostering academic collaboration and enhancing the Indian higher education system.
So far, only Australian universities, Deakin University and the University of Wollongong, have set up their campuses in India, located in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City). Malaysia’s Lincoln University College was the first foreign university to apply through the UGC’s dedicated portal to set up a campus in India.
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Source: NDTV
