The UK's University of Southampton has become the first foreign university to set up its offshore campus in India under the new NEP, the Centre announced on Thursday.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had in 2023 announced Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India Regulations.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar handed over a Letter of Intent (LoI) to university representatives at an event here.

According to officials, the University of Southampton submitted a proposal for opening a branch campus in Gurugram that was approved by the UGC standing committee, comprising noted academics from India and abroad, for issuing a LoI as per regulations.

"The degrees awarded by the India campus of the University of Southampton will be the same as in the host university. The programmes offered in the branch campus of University of Southampton in India will have the same academic and quality standards," UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar said.

"The Indian campus of the University of Southampton is expected to start its academic programmes in July 2025. The courses offered will be in subjects focusing on business and management, computing, law, engineering, art and design, biosciences and life sciences," he added.

Australia's Deakin University and the University of Wollongong have already set up campuses in GIFT City in Gujarat. However, the University of Southampton will be the first foreign university to set up an India campus under UGC norms.

The University of Southampton is a founding member of the leading research-intensive Russell Group of universities in the UK.

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said the development reflected both the vision of elevating India's educational standards to the highest global levels and delivering on the education pillar of India-UK cooperation.

"Confident that such endeavours will further make our youth work ready and foster a spirit of global understanding and cooperation," he stated.

The minister highlighted the initiative would help establish a strong interactional footprint of brand India in the educational sphere.

"This is a growing reality as new technologies and service demands are sought to be harmonised with demographic deficits," Jaishankar said.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan termed the development as a foot forward towards realising the goal of "internationalisation at home", as envisioned in the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.

"Glad that more and more globally-renowned HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) are evincing keen interest for multi-faceted collaborations with top Indian institutions as well as for tapping the potential of India as a global education and talent hub of the future," he said in a post on X.

"Establishment of campuses of foreign universities in India and Indian HEIs abroad is not just about expanding educational opportunities, it is about creating a vibrant ecosystem of research, knowledge exchange and global collaboration. Educational institutions across countries have a responsibility to produce 'global citizens' with global ethos who can provide solutions to global challenges," the minister added.

Mark E Smith, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Southampton, said no university could be truly global in the 21st century without engaging with India.

He said, "Our intention is to establish a campus that delivers social value and economic impact to India and the university by bringing together (the University of) Southampton's world-class activities in education, research, and knowledge exchange and enterprise, with all the talent of the rising global superpower that is India." "Through this new campus, the University of Southampton will help deliver a critical element of the government of India's transformative agenda, playing our part in harnessing the potential, talent and capabilities of Indian youth," Smith added.

Andrew Atherton, the university's vice-president for international and engagement, said they would develop world-class, work-ready graduates with specialist and transferable skills.

"The University of Southampton Delhi-NCR (campus) will be the first comprehensive international campus in India. It will foster academic collaboration and bring an international dimension to the Indian higher education system, opening up opportunities to study for a top 100 degree in-country," Atherton said.

"We will develop world-class, work-ready graduates with specialist and transferable skills that will enhance India's fast-growing knowledge economy. We will undertake research and knowledge exchange in partnership with local universities, industries and government and apply the results to deliver real-world social and economic impact," he added.

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