Mumbai to Become Global Education Hub as Top Foreign Universities Get Approval

Mumbai, June 15:In a major move to improve higher education in India, the government has given permission to five top foreign universities to open their campuses in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. This is part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims to make India a global center for quality and affordable education.

Letters of Intent (LoIs) were given to the following universities:

• University of York (UK)

• University of Aberdeen (UK)

• University of Western Australia (Australia)

• Illinois Institute of Technology (USA)

• Instituto Europeo Di Design (Italy)

These universities will offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses in areas like business, data science, computer science, public health, economics, and design.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “India is becoming a global study destination. With these top universities coming here, students will get access to international education without leaving the country.”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis added that NEP 2020 is helping talented Indian students get foreign-level education at a much lower cost. He said more universities are also in talks to come to India soon.

The University of Western Australia will set up two campuses—one in Mumbai/Navi Mumbai and one in Chennai. These universities are ranked among the top 500 in the world and will also support research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

This is the first time such well-known foreign universities will open campuses in Mumbai. Many of them will be part of the planned Education City in Navi Mumbai.

Officials from the UK, USA, Australia, and Italy praised India’s quick and transparent process. They said education builds strong ties between countries and they are proud to be part of India’s progress.

Dr. Vineet Joshi, Chairman of UGC, said, “The approvals were given in just one month. This shows our commitment to quality education and global partnerships.”

The government has already allowed universities like Deakin and Wollongong from Australia to start in GIFT City, Gujarat. Indian institutes like IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, and IIM Ahmedabad are also setting up campuses in other countries.

As NEP 2020 completes five years, this development shows India’s serious efforts to provide global-standard education, support youth, and help build a strong and developed India (Viksit Bharat).