University of Liverpool to Set Up Campus in India: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Hands Over LoI in New Delhi

New Delhi: To strengthen India’s global academic partnerships, Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan today handed over the Letter of Intent (LoI) to the University of Liverpool, paving the way for the UK-based institution to set up its first foreign campus in Bengaluru. This marks the second foreign university to be granted LoI under the UGC (Setting Up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023.

The ceremony, held in New Delhi, was attended by British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron CB OBE, UGC Interim Chair Dr. Vineet Joshi, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Tim Jones, and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof. Tariq Ali of the University of Liverpool, along with senior officials from the Ministries of Education and External Affairs.

Speaking at the event, Minister Pradhan said, “This LoI reaffirms India’s emergence as a trusted global partner in higher education and is a milestone aligned with the transformative vision of NEP 2020.” He emphasized that internationalization, innovation, and research are crucial for realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

“The University of Liverpool’s focus on STEM-related research and innovation is a welcome development. The Bengaluru campus will be a hub for global learning, knowledge creation, and scientific advancement,” Pradhan said.

The University of Liverpool’s India campus, scheduled to open in August 2026, will offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Business Management, Accounting and Finance, Computer Science, Biomedical Sciences, and an innovative course in Game Design—a first for a UK university in India.

The campus will foster a research-intensive ecosystem, with strong emphasis on industry-driven and applied research, addressing both global and local challenges. The university aims to leverage its well-established ties with employers, alumni, and entrepreneurial networks to ensure graduates are workforce-ready.

In his remarks, Dr. Vineet Joshi described the LoI as symbolic of the sweeping transformation underway in India’s higher education landscape. “International engagement, strategic reform, and a strong policy foundation, as envisioned under NEP 2020, are positioning India as a global education hub,” he said.

“This is not just a ceremonial gesture, but part of a broader effort to build a future-ready, globally competitive education system,” he added.

Three key MoUs were signed during the event to explore collaborative opportunities with organizations such as the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited, YouWeCan, and Dream11, expanding the scope of education, research, and healthcare partnerships.

Two panel discussions—‘The Free Trade Agreement and Beyond’ and ‘The India–UK Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)’—were also held, highlighting the broader strategic collaboration between the two countries in education, science, and public health.

The University of Liverpool becomes the fourth foreign university to publicly announce plans to establish a campus in India. Minister Pradhan revealed that 15 foreign universities are expected to begin operations in India by the end of the current academic year, particularly in STEMB (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Business) fields.