The Union Ministry of Education has issued a Letter of Approval to the University of Liverpool, UK, to establish a branch campus in Bengaluru. The approval was formally handed over by the Department of Higher Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC) to the university’s leadership on June 4, 2026. This development marks a major milestone in India’s efforts to internationalise its higher education system under the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020).
Setting up the Bengaluru Campus
The establishment of the new branch campus marks a key point in India-UK academic ties. The transition from planning to execution was cemented through an official administrative ceremony.
Collaborative Handover Ceremony
The Letter of Approval (LoA) was formally handed over to the university leadership during a high-profile ceremony. Dr. Vineet Joshi, who serves as the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education and the Chairman of the UGC, presented the approval document to Professor Richard Grose, the Provost of the University of Liverpool, Bengaluru.
The event was attended by senior government representatives from both nations. The Indian delegation was led by the Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, and the Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar. The United Kingdom was represented by its Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper. The presence of these ministers highlights the strategic and diplomatic weight attached to transnational education projects between India and the United Kingdom.
Timeline and Location of the Campus
The University of Liverpool has selected Alembic City near Whitefield in Bengaluru, Karnataka, as the site for its Indian operations. This choice of location leverages Bengaluru’s reputation as the technology and research hub of India, offering students direct proximity to leading multinational corporations and research laboratories.
The campus is scheduled to begin academic operations and admit its inaugural cohort of students in August 2026. Admissions for the first academic year are open, and the university is setting up the necessary administrative and physical infrastructure to meet the commencement deadline.
Academic Programs and Courses
The Bengaluru branch campus will offer a mix of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. The initial academic portfolio is designed to align with the demands of the regional economy, focusing on technology, finance, and sciences.
The university will initially offer programs in the following disciplines:
- Business Management
- Computer Science
- Game Design
- Finance
- Biomedical Sciences
The institution plans to expand its course offerings into other disciplines, including engineering and humanities, in subsequent academic phases based on demand and operational capacity.
India’s Regulatory Framework for Foreign Campuses
The entry of the University of Liverpool into the Indian higher education sector is facilitated by specific domestic policy changes. India has established a clear legal pathway for foreign institutions to operate within its borders.
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Internationalisation
The primary policy driver for this change is the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020). The policy aims to internationalise Indian higher education by facilitating the entry of top-ranked global universities. This strategy is designed to provide world-class education locally, reducing the outflow of students and capital from India. The policy aims to help India meet its rising demand for higher education, which is projected to reach 70 million students by 2035.
UGC Regulations for Foreign Higher Education Institutions 2023
To implement the NEP 2020 goals, the University Grants Commission notified the UGC (Setting Up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023 in November 2023. These regulations allow eligible foreign universities to establish campuses in India.
| Key Regulatory Provision | Details and Criteria |
|---|---|
| Eligibility Criteria | Foreign institutions must rank within the top 500 in overall or subject-wise global rankings, or possess outstanding expertise in a specific area. |
| Academic Autonomy | Institutions have the freedom to decide their admission processes, fee structures, and curriculum. |
| Faculty Recruitment | Campuses can recruit faculty and staff from both India and abroad, following their own criteria. |
| Degree Equivalence | Degrees awarded by these campuses are legally equivalent to those from Indian institutions, with no separate approval required. |
| Financial Regulations | Operations must comply with the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) for cross-border fund movement. |
Prior to receiving the final Letter of Approval on June 4, 2026, the University of Liverpool was granted a Letter of Intent on May 26, 2025. Under this framework, the University of Liverpool is the second member of the prestigious Russell Group (a group of 24 leading public research universities in the UK) to receive such approval, following the University of Southampton, which established its campus in Gurugram, Haryana.
Strategic Context: The India-UK Vision 2035
The approval of the University of Liverpool’s Bengaluru campus is part of a broader diplomatic and strategic framework. In July 2025, India and the United Kingdom endorsed the India-UK Vision 2035, which succeeded the previous Roadmap 2030. The Vision 2035 identifies education and research as one of the five core pillars of the bilateral relationship.
The framework supports a knowledge-driven partnership between the two nations through several key initiatives:
- Transnational Education Partnerships: The establishment of physical branch campuses in India allows British universities to tap into the massive Indian student market.
- Mutual Recognition of Qualifications: An agreement signed between the two nations ensures that degrees obtained from approved institutions are recognized in both countries, simplifying professional and academic mobility.
- Student and Scholar Mobility: Initiatives like the Young Professionals Scheme (YPS) facilitate reciprocal exchange opportunities for young graduates.
- Green Skills and Research: Collaborative research in fields like climate change, artificial intelligence, and healthcare helps align academic outputs with global challenges.
This structural alignment enables institutions like the University of Liverpool to seamlessly transition their academic programs to India, fostering deeper educational integration between the two countries.
Key Takeaways
- The Ministry of Education issued the final Letter of Approval (LoA) on June 4, 2026 to the University of Liverpool, UK, to establish a branch campus in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- The new branch campus will be located at Alembic City near Whitefield in Bengaluru, with academic classes set to commence in August 2026.
- The regulatory framework for setting up the campus is governed by the UGC (Setting Up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023.
- Under the UGC rules, foreign universities must rank within the top 500 globally in overall or subject-wise rankings to establish campuses in India.
- The University of Liverpool is a founding member of the prestigious Russell Group and is the second UK-based university to receive approval for an Indian branch campus, following the University of Southampton.
- This partnership is strategically supported by the India-UK Vision 2035 bilateral framework, which was endorsed in July 2025 with education as a key pillar.
