The Ministry of Education has constituted a 16-member committee to formulate a blueprint to allow Indian universities to set up foreign campuses.

The committee will submit a framework based on examination of existing provisions for opening of offshore campuses by 17 March 2022. The committee is led by Dr K Radhakrishnan, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Council Standing Committee Chairman and comprises directors of seven IITs and vice-chancellors of four central universities as the members.

The UGC had amended its regulations for Institutions of Eminence (IoEs) in January 2021 to set out stipulations for the IoEs if they so wish to set up campuses abroad.   These will have to be fulfilled and in addition, the IoE s will be required to obtain approval of the Ministry of Education and no-objection certificates from the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs.

The stipulations include submission of a 10-year strategic vision plan and a five-year rolling implementation plan covering academics, faculty recruitment, student admissions, research, infrastructure development, finance and administration to the Ministry of Education.  It also sets a limit on the number of offshore campus centres that an IoE can establish- only one offshore campus in one academic year and  a maximum of three centres over a five-year period. 

In addition, the provisions require IoEs to maintain same norms and standards at the offshore campus as those followed at the main campus in the home country, including the admission criteria, curriculum, examination system and evaluation.

Institutions of Eminence category was created to empower and support the Indian higher educational institutions to become world class teaching and research institutions.  Indian government aims to establish  20 Institutions of Eminence with an equal mix of private and public higher education institutions. Currently, there are 11 such institutions including IIT-Delhi, IIT-Bombay, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Delhi University etc.

British Council comments:

There has been some news report about IIT Delhi exploring to set up an offshore campus in the UK.  This is unverified at this stage, but what is confirmed is that the IIT Delhi has put up a request to the Ministry of Education for opening an overseas campus in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. This request along with the aspiration for internalisation of higher education as set out in the national education policy has triggered the government to consider the matter seriously. 

The committee in its report is expected to propose administrative, financial, and legal framework of the proposed overseas campuses for Indian universities.  They will also be examining operational safeguards required to protect the parent institute vis-a-vis its offshore campuses from liabilities as per laws of foreign country.

According to media reports, the committee will also consider if each IIT should compete individually to set up offshore campuses abroad or collectively set these up.    

This is a key development in making for transforming transnational education in India and promote India Education as a brand globally.  We can expect better clarity once the report of the committee is made available and there is more information on how the recommendations will be taken forward and applied in this process.    

If you have any questions, please write to Sandeepa Sahay

Read more at:

https://indianexpress.com/article/education/indian-universities-foreign-campuses-central-panel-7753641/

https://www.news18.com/news/education-career/govt-panel-to-submit-plan-for-indian-universities-foreign-campuses-by-march-17-4734500.html

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/centre-sets-up-panel-for-framework-on-indian-varsity-campuses-abroad-101643826059849.html