Can India become a global hub for higher education as foreign universities flock in?, ETEducation
India stands today at an exciting moment in its education history. Forty million students are enrolled in higher education, and by 2035 that number will rise to 70 million, a population larger than that of many European countries. With this surge in learners and aspirations, India is no longer just expanding education; it is redefining the future of learning for the world’s largest youth population.
The University Grants Commission’s (UGC) new regulations allow the world’s best universities to set up campuses in India. Global learning can be delivered at Indian costs, with Indian talent, and for Indian aspirations. This is far more than a policy reform; it is a chance to democratize world-class education for millions. A beginning that could eventually extend from India to the entire global south.
For decades, more than 1.3 million Indians have studied overseas each year, spending almost $47 billion annually on tuition and living expenses. That is nearly 1.7% of India’s GDP flowing outward in search of global degrees. The new foreign university regulations aim to change this.
Under NEP 2020 and UGC’s enabling framework, global universities ranked in the top 500 can now establish full-fledged campuses in India, with identical curriculum, faculty standards, and degree accreditation as their home campuses.
Already three global universities have set up bases, and 17 more are expected in the next 10–12 months, meaning that some of the world’s top institutions will soon operate in India.
Tamil Nadu is one of the most compelling regions for India’s higher-education revolution. The state boasts a Gross Enrolment Ratio of 47%, far ahead of the national average of 28.4%. Even more inspiring is the surge in govt-school students entering higher education from 45% in 2021–2022 to 74% in 2023–2024. These numbers reflect not just access, but aspiration and a culture that values learning as a pathway to transformation.
Tamil Nadu’s network of universities, strong faculty ecosystem, and close linkages with industry in technology, textiles, automotive, logistics, and manufacturing create a fertile environment for foreign universities to set up operations. With a rapidly expanding pool of college-ready youth and a policy ecosystem that embraces innovation, Tamil Nadu is not merely prepared for this transition; it is poised to lead it. The state stands as a gateway for global campuses and a model for how India can build world-class education systems at scale.
This means Indian students will gain world-class education, global mobility options, and international exposure without the financial burden of relocating abroad.
Some campuses such as Southampton’s in Gurgaon are already operational; Deakin University and Wollongong University are in GIFT City, Gujarat , and others will launch by 2026.
Global universities are bringing their industry networks into India. Southampton’s strong ties with Deloitte, PwC, and Investec will create real-time consulting projects, internships, and corporate immersion. Similarly, Bristol, York, and Liverpool are exploring partnerships with India’s technology, analytics, and financial sectors, giving students a seamless path from education to employment.
If executed with quality and equity, India will transition from being the world’s largest exporter of students to a global centre of higher learning. For the first time, top universities are not simply inviting Indian talent abroad, they are coming to India to build, to collaborate, and to become part of the nation’s growth story.
This change is not merely institutional; it is about building a future-ready India, where global learning meets local opportunity, and where every student whether in Coimbatore, Chennai, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Kolkata or Rajasthan can aspire to world-class education without borders.
India has opened the doors. The world is walking in. And the journey of global learning at Indian costs, for Indian aspirations, has only just begun.
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