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In a significant step towards advancing the internationalisation of higher education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Ministry of Education has formally granted a Letter of Approval (LoA) to the University of Liverpool, one of the United Kingdom’s leading universities, to establish its branch campus in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The move is being seen as a major milestone in India’s efforts to emerge as a global hub for education, research and innovation.
The Letter of Approval was handed over by Dr. Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education and Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), to Professor Richard Gross, Provost of the University of Liverpool Bengaluru. The event was attended by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, and UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.
India-UK Educational Partnership Reaches New Heights
The announcement was made during the first ministerial review meeting of the “India-UK Vision 2035.” The occasion was widely regarded as a symbol of the growing cooperation between the two countries in the field of education. Several senior officials were also present, including India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron.
The University of Liverpool had received a Letter of Intent (LoI) on May 26, 2025, under the UGC (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023. Over the past year, the university completed all required academic, administrative, infrastructure and regulatory preparations.
Following an assessment by the UGC of the university’s readiness and compliance with regulatory requirements, the institution has now been granted the final approval to begin operations in India. The development is considered an important step in realizing the NEP 2020 vision of bringing leading foreign universities to the country.
Students to Gain Access to World-Class Education
The Bengaluru campus will offer Indian students access to globally recognized education without having to travel abroad. Initially, the university plans to offer undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Business Management, Computer Science, Game Design, Finance, and Biomedical Sciences. It also intends to introduce additional programmes in emerging fields such as Engineering, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in the coming years.
The new campus will enable students to earn internationally recognized degrees while studying in India. It is also expected to strengthen collaboration between academia and industry, thereby enhancing employability-focused education and skill development.
Welcoming the initiative, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the presence of leading global universities in India would create new academic opportunities for young people. He noted that the move represents a major achievement in the implementation of NEP 2020 and will support India’s ambition of becoming a global centre for learning, research and innovation.
Boost to the Goals of NEP 2020
According to Pradhan, the arrival of such institutions will promote academic collaboration between Indian and international universities, encourage joint research projects and provide students with greater exposure to global learning opportunities. This, he said, will help align India’s higher education system with international standards and competitiveness.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also described the development as a significant milestone in the India-UK strategic partnership. He stated that cooperation between the two nations continues to expand across sectors including education, technology, defence, climate action and innovation under the Vision 2035 framework.
He further highlighted that several important bilateral initiatives have been launched in recent years, including the Technology Security Initiative, the Defence Industrial Roadmap, the Climate Technology Startup Fund and the Offshore Wind Energy Task Force. The establishment of the University of Liverpool’s campus in India is another important addition to this growing partnership.
International Collaboration in Education and Research to Expand
During the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between King’s College London and the National Maritime Foundation to establish a Regional Maritime Security Centre for Excellence. The agreement is expected to further strengthen cooperation between India and the UK in education, research and policy studies.
Founded in 1881, the University of Liverpool is among the world’s leading higher education institutions. It is internationally recognised for excellence in teaching, research and innovation and consistently ranks among the top universities globally.
The university’s decision to establish a campus in India reflects the growing attractiveness of the country’s higher education ecosystem and the confidence generated by progressive regulatory reforms introduced by the government.
India’s Emergence as a Global Education Hub
Experts believe that the entry of prestigious foreign universities into India will increase competition in the higher education sector, accelerate research and innovation and provide students with access to world-class education within the country.
The new University of Liverpool campus in Bengaluru is expected not only to expand educational opportunities for Indian students but also to strengthen education ties between India and the United Kingdom. The initiative is being viewed as a major step toward positioning India as a global centre for education, research and innovation.
