QS Rankings Reveal Nuanced Picture Behind Foreign University Expansion in India

Global Mid-Ranked Universities Expand to India, Elevating Academic Collaboration

The announcement of foreign universities establishing campuses in India has generated considerable excitement, widely perceived as a transformative move towards broadening international academic access and enhancing the country's global educational stature. Positioned as a promising avenue for cross-border collaboration, this development aligns with India’s ambitions to internationalise its higher education landscape.

However, a closer look reveals that most of the institutions entering India fall within the QS global rankings of 100–300, notably below the elite cohort of Ivy League universities in the United States and venerable institutions such as Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Experts point out that top-tier universities generally refrain from establishing foreign campuses, favouring the enhancement of their primary institutions to attract world-class talent. Conversely, universities outside the top 50 tend to pursue international expansion more readily.

Australian institutions have spearheaded this trend, with Deakin University (QS rank 197) launching a campus in GIFT City offering Master’s programmes from July 2024, followed by the University of Wollongong (rank 167) in November with technology-focused courses. The University of Melbourne (rank 13) opted for a non-teaching Global Centre in New Delhi to foster partnerships rather than direct instruction.

In addition, key initiatives include the University of Southampton (QS rank 80) preparing to become the first foreign university to operate under India’s UGC framework, with its Gurugram campus set to open in August 2025. The University of Liverpool (ranked 165) will introduce a Bengaluru campus by 2026, featuring programmes in business, technology, and biomedicine. Similarly, the Illinois Institute of Technology (rank 601–610) will become the first U.S. university to independently award degrees in India, commencing operations in Mumbai in autumn 2026.

Western Sydney University awaits regulatory approval for a campus in Uttar Pradesh, while Queen’s University Belfast will begin five postgraduate programmes in GIFT City in 2026. Meanwhile, the University of Surrey is developing a research- and teaching-oriented campus in GIFT City, and the University of York intends to launch its Mumbai campus by 2026–27 with offerings in AI, business, and biotechnology. Though these institutions may not represent the highest-ranked globally, many still stand above the majority of Indian universities and are poised to uplift academic standards and foster international engagement in India’s higher education system.

Editor’s Note:

The entry of foreign universities into India marks a notable shift in the country’s higher education landscape. While the institutions setting up campuses may not belong to the topmost tier globally, their presence signals a meaningful step towards increasing academic diversity, quality, and international collaboration. This development aligns with India’s broader goal of internationalising its education sector and offering students greater access to globally recognised qualifications without the need to study abroad. It also presents opportunities for knowledge exchange, capacity building, and raising academic benchmarks across Indian institutions. This wave of international collaboration must not become merely symbolic; it should deliver measurable improvements in academic excellence, research opportunities, and student outcomes. 

Skoobuzz believes that if implemented with rigour and purpose, this moment can redefine the future of higher education in India, positioning the country not just as a host, but as a global hub of learning and innovation.