In an office block on the outskirts of Delhi, a first cohort of students gathers for a class in a Business Management degree at the University of Southampton – an institution headquartered nearly 7,000 kilometres (4,350 miles) away.
Far from its sprawling green campuses in southern England, Southampton is the first of several British universities setting up in India to tap one of the world’s fastest growing student markets.
Britain and India agreed to deepen education ties under a 2025 reset in relations that also delivered a free-trade agreement and reciprocal prime ministerial visits.
New Delhi introduced rules in 2023 allowing top-ranked foreign universities to open up and help meet the estimated 70 million student places India will need by 2035. Of the 19 that plan to do so, nine are from the United Kingdom.
India’s move comes as UK universities face pressure at home over the recruitment of international students, with the government determined to reduce immigration.
Southampton opened its campus in August last year with 120 students on a limited range of courses. It plans to expand the site over the next decade to reach 5,500 students.
“The new part of the model … is that now universities can start thinking about going to the students,” Professor Andrew Atherton, vice president of international and engagement at the university, told Reuters during a visit to the campus. Read more
Source: NDTV