A view of GIFT City in Gandhinagar. Foreign universities in GIFT City could function under a unique regulatory framework that is independent of the UGC Regulations.
| Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI
India’s ambition to globalise its higher education system has evolved beyond policy frameworks to various strategic initiatives. One major example is the setting up of foreign university campuses in the country, with GIFT City in Gujarat leading the way. This momentum has been further strengthened by recent high-level diplomatic efforts that underscore the Union government’s commitment to advancing its agenda.
A notable example is Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s recent visit to London, which brought renewed international attention to GIFT City. This renewed focus was highlighted in the Joint Statement released following the 13th India-U.K. Economic and Financial Dialogue held on April 9. Co-signed by U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Ms. Sitharaman, the statement welcomed U.K. universities to establish campuses in India — specifically naming the University of Southampton in New Delhi, along with Queen’s University Belfast and Coventry University in GIFT City. The explicit inclusion of GIFT City in this high-level economic communiqué reinforces its emerging role as a key destination for international branch campuses in the country.
This transformative development, however, is not occurring in isolation. Its foundation was laid by the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, which recommended that universities from among the “top 100” category in the world be allowed to operate in India. Subsequently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) provided a further impetus through the release of a comprehensive regulatory framework in 2023, designed to facilitate the establishment and operation of foreign higher educational institutions in India (UGC Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India Regulations, 2023). However, it is important to note that foreign universities in GIFT City could function under a unique regulatory framework that is independent of the UGC Regulations.
Innovation or limitation?
The foundation for GIFT City’s emergence as a hub for international higher education was laid in the Union Budget for 2022-23 when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that “world-class foreign universities” would be permitted to operate within the zone in Gandhinagar. This policy vision was soon backed by a dedicated regulatory framework — the International Financial Services Centres Authority (Setting up and Operation of International Branch Campuses and Offshore Education Centres) Regulations, 2022 — which provided the legal and operational blueprint for foreign institutions to establish a presence in GIFT City.
Soon the moves gained momentum. In late 2023, Australia became the first country to engage with the initiative, with Deakin University receiving approval to set up a campus in the zone. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan welcomed this milestone as “a gift that the nation has been looking forward to”, positioning GIFT City as a groundbreaking model for foreign branch campuses in the country.
As GIFT City continues to gain momentum — with institutions such as the University of Surrey from the U.K. preparing to establish a presence — its rise is swiftly reshaping the landscape of internationalisation of higher education in India. It is driven by a specialised regulatory framework to offer programmes in financial management, fintech, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and is further bolstered by strong support from the Union and State governments. However, as GIFT City gains greater international visibility as a destination for establishing foreign university campuses, an important question arises: can a single location, no matter how successful, represent the entirety of India’s ambitions for hosting international branch campuses? Would concentrating the efforts in one zone — even if it is well-resourced —risks overlooking the vast and diverse academic strengths of other cities and towns that exist across the rest of the country?
Global visibility
Several Indian states are proactively promoting education-focused urban development aimed at attracting global higher education institutions. For instance, the Maharashtra government recently announced its plans to invite foreign universities to establish campuses in “Third Mumbai”, near Navi Mumbai. In Tamil Nadu, the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) has finalised the master plan for the Tamil Nadu Knowledge City, an education and research hub to be developed in Tiruvallur district. In Karnataka, the government has announced the Knowledge and Innovation (KWIN) City project, envisioned as a major centre for higher education and innovation.
However, despite their scale and promise, these State-level initiatives have not received the kind of international attention and promotion through official channels that GIFT City has garnered. While some States have entered the race to attract foreign institutions a bit later, the Union government must make a concerted effort to highlight and promote these initiatives as well on international platforms to ensure balanced visibility outside the country.
Beyond a single gateway
Unlocking India’s full potential as a global higher education destination necessitates a more distributed, inclusive approach — one that leverages the strengths of the country’s diverse cities and towns. While the development of GIFT City as a regulatory and infrastructure hub for foreign universities is a commendable initiative, the disproportionate national and international emphasis on this single location risks overlooking the broader, more dynamic educational landscape of India.
Higher education cannot be reduced to regulatory convenience alone; it flourishes in ecosystems beyond the classroom — ecosystems that nurture critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning, cultural exchange, and meaningful community engagement. Sustainable higher education also demands academic freedom, strong linkages with local industries, vibrant research environments, and student-centric governance. Without these elements, even the most well-regulated systems risk becoming sterile and disconnected from the realities of a rapidly evolving world. India’s future as a global education hub will not be shaped by the success of a singular city but by the rise of multiple centres of excellence, each reflecting the unique strengths of its region. This educational pluralism — where various State-led models in a wider array of cities that coexist and thrive — offers a more resilient, inclusive, and effective path to internationalisation of Indian higher education.
(Eldho Mathews is Programme Officer, Internationalisation, at the Kerala State Higher Education Council, Thiruvananthapuram; views are personal)
Published – April 15, 2025 12:20 am IST