"Two UK Universities to Open International Campuses in Gujarat’s GIFT City, Following Australia’s Lead"

Two prominent UK universities, Queen’s University Belfast and Coventry University, have filed applications to establish international campuses at Gujarat’s GIFT City, following the lead of Australian institutions.

Earlier this week, the International Financial Services Authority (IFSCA) granted approval to Queen’s University Belfast, marking it as the third foreign university to set up a campus in the financial hub. Queen’s, based in Northern Ireland, is nearly 200 years old and ranks in the top 200 globally for impact and sustainability. As a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities, Queen’s plans to initially offer postgraduate programs, with potential expansion into research and undergraduate courses. The university has approximately 1,000 Indian students among its 24,000 global enrollment.

Coventry University, established in 1843, is also set to join GIFT City, bringing its experience from global campuses in Egypt, Poland, Morocco, and Kazakhstan. The university recently launched its "India Hub" in Delhi in March 2024 to address global challenges like climate change, economic development, and health issues. With more than 13,000 international students from 160 countries, Coventry aims to expand its footprint in India.

The move comes after the IFSCA introduced its International Branch Campus Regulations in October 2022, allowing foreign universities to operate in India with relaxed regulations, including repatriation of funds in freely convertible foreign currency. GIFT City’s regulatory environment enables foreign universities to offer a wide range of courses, including research programs in fields like financial management, fintech, and STEM disciplines.

Australia has also made strides in this area. In January 2024, Deakin University became the first foreign institution to open a campus in GIFT City, followed by the University of Wollongong (UOW) in November 2024. Deakin welcomed its first batch of 45 students in a postgraduate program in business analytics and cybercrime, while UOW is offering courses in financial technology.

To qualify for a campus in GIFT City, foreign universities must rank in the top 500 globally or hold a reputed status in their home country, with initial approvals granted for a five-year period, renewable for another five years.

HBL