- India issued a Letter of Intent to the University of Southampton, UK, to establish a campus in India; Dr. S Jaishankar graced the occasion.
New Delhi, India, August 29, 2024—The Ministry of Education has taken a significant step towards realizing the internationalization goals envisioned in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. A Letter of Intent (LoI) has been issued to the University of Southampton (UoS), UK, allowing it to establish its first-ever campus in India.
The University of Southampton (UoS) is ranked among the top 100 Higher Educational Institutions globally. Its presence in India will enrich its educational landscape, providing students with a unique opportunity for global exposure while receiving an education rooted in Indian values.
Southampton will be the first foreign University to receive a LoI under the UGC Regulations for establishing Indian campuses of foreign universities.
The letter of intent was issued to the University of Southampton (UoS), UK, at an event today in New Delhi. The event was titled “Internationalization of Education under NEP 2020: Setting up of Foreign University in India.”
The event was honored by the presence of Union Minister for External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar, as well as dignitaries including Shri Sanjay Murthy, Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education; Shri Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs; Ms. Christina Scott, Deputy High Commissioner of the UK in India; Mr. Andrew Atherton, Vice-President, International, University of Southampton; Shri M. Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of UGC; esteemed Ambassadors from various nations; prominent academicians from private and state universities; industry officials, and other distinguished guests.
In his address, Dr. S. Jaishankar expressed his happiness about handing over the Letter of Intent to the University of Southampton, which will establish a campus in India under NEP 2020. He mentioned that this reflects the vision of elevating our educational standards to the highest global levels and delivering on the education pillar of India-UK cooperation. Dr. Jaishankar stated that he is confident that such endeavors will further prepare our youth for the workforce and foster a spirit of global understanding and cooperation.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan commended the University of Southampton’s management for further strengthening India-UK relations by opening its campus in India. He also invited other top institutions of the world to come to India.
Professor Andrew Atherton announced the upcoming launch of the University of Southampton Delhi, the first comprehensive international campus in India.
This campus aims to develop graduates with specialized and transferable skills to contribute to India’s growing knowledge economy. It will offer courses in business, management, computing, law, engineering, art, design, biosciences, and life sciences. The University plans to roll out courses over ten years, initially focusing on operating specific courses within the first three years.
- First year: BSc Computer Science, BSc. Business Management, BSc. Accounting and Finance, BSc. Economics and MSc. International Management, MSc. Finance.
- Second year adds BSc. Software Engineering, BSC Creative Computing, MSc. Economics.
- Third year adds LLB Law and then B. Eng (Mechanical Engineering).
The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) strongly emphasizes attaining the highest global standards in higher education quality. It highlights the need for “internationalization at home” and promotes India as a global study destination, offering premium education at an affordable cost.
Source: Ministry of Education, Government of India
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