Image: purdue.edu
NEW DELHI: Talks with US-based Purdue University for setting up a campus in India have reached an advanced stage, govt sources said, even as interest from British and Canadian universities gathers pace under India’s liberalised foreign education regime. Officials said that colleges under the University of London and several Canadian universities have also conveyed keenness, with preliminary discussions underway.The momentum follows policy changes that have opened India’s higher education sector to foreign universities. The National Education Policy, 2020 first articulated the case for allowing top global institutions to operate locally, and this was operationalised in 2023 through UGC regulations. The rules allow eligible foreign universities to establish independent campuses, design curricula and set admission norms, marking a decisive shift from earlier partnership-only models.There are foreign universities already running physical campuses in India – Australia’s Deakin University and University of Wollongong at Gujarat’s GIFT City, and the UK’s University of Southampton in Gurgaon. These campuses offer programmes in high-demand areas such as STEM and management, and have demonstrated that overseas institutions can operate within India’s regulatory ecosystem. University of Liverpool, University of York and University of Aberdeen, among others are working towards similar operations.Against this backdrop, Purdue University’s proposed India campus is being seen as a major credibility boost for the foreign university policy. Sources said discussions have reached an advanced stage, with talks focused on academic offerings, regulatory compliance and operational frameworks. Govt officials indicated that the plan is for Purdue to offer its flagship engineering and technology programmes in India, allowing students to earn a Purdue degree without having to study overseas.
