He was a part of a 126-member UK delegation to India led by UK Prime Minister Starmer, which included entrepreneurs, cultural leaders, and college VCs, to have fun the landmark commerce deal between the 2 international locations.
“The presence of all 9 UK universities with a Letter of Intent (LoI) or Letter of Acceptance (LoA) is a serious achievement for the UK HE sector, surpassing approvals from all different international locations,” stated Atherton, in a chat with The PIE Information.
“UK universities have embraced the brand new rules and India has embraced UK universities. All 9 universities met with Prime Minsters Modi and Starmer throughout their joint press [conference], which celebrated the campuses and highlighted their contribution to the expansion and growth of upper schooling in India.”
Although Starmer has insisted that visa routes for Indian staff and college students usually are not a part of the broader commerce deal, increasing abroad choices for college kids to review in India was a key goal of the journey.
Main UK universities, together with Coventry, Queen’s College Belfast, Surrey, Bristol, York, Aberdeen, Lancaster, and Liverpool, are set to launch campuses by 2026 throughout GIFT Metropolis, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Southampton is the one practical campus up to now, opening in August with 120 college students in its inaugural cohort.
The presence of all 9 UK universities with a LoI or LoA is a serious achievement for the UK HE sector, surpassing approvals from all different international locations
Andrew Atherton, College of Southampton
India’s rising demand for increased schooling, projected at 70 million locations by 2035, presents alternatives for UK establishments, notably as cautious immigration insurance policies form research overseas selections amongst Indian college students.
Each international locations are additionally set to deepen schooling ties by way of the Imaginative and prescient 2035 framework, with an annual ministerial dialogue to assessment qualification recognition and promote knowledge-sharing through platforms just like the UK’s Schooling World Discussion board and India’s Nationwide Schooling Coverage (NEP).
The College Grants Fee (UGC), India’s increased schooling regulator, launched relaxed guidelines in 2023 for overseas universities to open department campuses in India. Whereas preliminary curiosity was gradual, many establishments at the moment are actively exploring alternatives, in response to Atherton.
“When the NEP first talked about worldwide campuses in India there was some debate and activism about whether or not worldwide universities would apply,” stated Atherton.
“With 9 from the UK and three from Australia and one from the US, the coverage has confirmed its potential to engorge worldwide universities to arrange campuses in India.”
