Bristol, York and UNSW get approval to set up campuses in India

The Union Ministry of Education on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 issued three letters of approval (LoA) to three foreign higher education institutions – University of Bristol, University of York and University of New South Wales (UNSW).

The LoAs were handed over by Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education and Chairman University Grants Commission (UGC), Vineet Joshi, in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Mr. Pradhan said that the establishment of these university campuses in India marks another important step in advancing the internationalization of education vision of NEP 2020. He said that these institutions will further enhance quality education, global study partnership and research collaboration in India.

He noted that when Bristol and York established campuses in Mumbai and UNSW its campus in Bengaluru, these universities joined two of the most dynamic technology and innovation hotspots in India and Bengaluru, which was the new Silicon Valley of the eastern part of the world.

The University of Bristol will establish its corporate campus in Mumbai with proposed programs in areas including immersive arts, finance, data science, economics, business management, entrepreneurship and innovation.

The University of York will establish its first overseas campus in Mumbai, with proposed programs in areas such as finance, computer science with artificial intelligence, cyber security, business, economics, creative industries and management.

The University of New South Wales will establish UNSW Bengaluru, scheduled to open in August 2026 at the Manyata Business Park in Bengaluru.

The campus will offer programs in areas such as business, IT and cyber security, while enabling deeper collaboration with India in areas such as renewable energy, health, transport and education.

The LoA was personally received by University of Bristol Executive Dean and Principal Michelle Jones; Vice-Chancellor, University of York, Charlie Jeffery, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Education and Student Experience, University of New South Wales, Sarah Maddison.

Representatives of the British High Commission, Australian High Commission, British Council, Department of Education, UGC and three universities were also present.

The establishment of these campuses forms part of the broader internationalization agenda under the NEP 2020, which places great emphasis on achieving the highest global standards in the quality of higher education and promoting India as a global study destination.

The UGC Regulations for Establishment and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Education Institutions in India provide a time-bound framework for globally recognized institutions to establish campuses in the country while maintaining institutional autonomy and global standards.

These campuses are expected to expand access to high-quality international education in India, encourage two-way academic mobility, boost research and innovation, create new opportunities for Indian students and deepen India’s education partnership with the UK and Australia.

After LoAs were handed over to the University of Bristol, the University of York and the University of New South Wales, five LoAs have now been issued under UGC regulations to foreign higher education institutions, including the University of Southampton and the University of Liverpool. The University of Southampton has already commenced academic operations from the 2025-2026 session. UGC has also issued 10 Letters of Intent (LoIs) to other globally recognized FHEIs from UK, USA, Australia and Italy to set up campuses across India. In addition, Deakin University, University of Wollongong and Queen’s University Belfast have already started operations at GIFT City.

Published – 11 Jun 2026 01:45 IST