Melbourne Universities Expand Presence in India Amid Policy Shift

Melbourne’s universities are deepening their engagement with India as new policy openings invite foreign institutions to establish a presence. Deakin University has become the first international university to open a teaching campus in India, while the University of Melbourne has launched a strategic Global Centre in Delhi. These moves align with Australia’s push to strengthen educational ties with India and tap into one of the largest and fastest-growing higher education markets in the world.

Deakin Sets a Global First in Gujarat

Deakin University’s new campus in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) represents a landmark in cross-border education. It is the first time any foreign university has been permitted to set up a physical teaching campus in India. Announced during Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s 2023 visit to India and opened officially in 2024, the GIFT City campus offers postgraduate programs in business analytics and cyber security tailored to the region’s growing demand for tech talent.

The initiative builds on Deakin’s 30-year presence in India and offers students an Australian-standard education at approximately half the cost of studying in Australia. GIFT City, a tax-advantaged special economic zone, also enables smoother operations and closer industry partnerships for job-ready graduates. This expansion positions Deakin at the forefront of international education in India and signals a long-term commitment to the region.

Melbourne’s Strategic Outpost in Delhi

The University of Melbourne, Australia’s top-ranked institution, took a different approach by opening the Melbourne Global Centre in Delhi. Located near major government and corporate headquarters, the Centre serves as a hub for research collaboration, alumni engagement, and industry partnerships.

Unlike Deakin’s teaching campus, Melbourne’s Centre focuses on relationship-building rather than degree delivery. The goal is to foster joint research projects, host events, and strengthen Melbourne’s academic brand in India. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan described the Centre as a platform to enhance collaboration and connection, reinforcing the state's ambitions for deeper global engagement.

India’s New Openness to Foreign Campuses

India’s National Education Policy 2020 laid the groundwork for welcoming international universities. In early 2023, the University Grants Commission released regulations that allow foreign institutions ranked in the top 500 globally to establish branch campuses in India. These campuses have autonomy over admissions, fees, and staffing, provided they meet home-country academic standards.

The first batch of approvals under the new rules includes the UK’s University of Southampton, which will soon open a campus in Delhi NCR. GIFT City, meanwhile, has served as a regulatory sandbox, allowing Deakin and other early movers to test operations under a streamlined framework regulated by India’s financial services authority.

India’s motivation is clear. With over 43 million students currently enrolled in higher education and a gross enrolment rate around 33 percent, the country faces massive demand for quality university access. Hosting reputable global institutions is part of its strategy to improve capacity without losing students to international destinations.

Australia’s Broader Education Diplomacy

For Australia, strengthening ties with India through education is a geopolitical and economic priority. In 2023, both countries signed a mutual recognition agreement, and Australia launched a comprehensive education strategy for India that includes offshore campuses, joint research, and skills collaboration.

Federal Education Minister Jason Clare described this shift as a redefinition of international education: it’s not just about international students coming to Australia, but increasingly about Australian universities going to the world. Initiatives like Deakin’s campus and Melbourne’s Global Centre are being championed as tangible outcomes of this new approach.

Why India - and Why Now?

University executives cite multiple advantages in entering the Indian market. First is student access. Campuses like Deakin’s can offer Australian degrees to students who cannot afford to travel overseas. This captures a broader share of India’s aspirational student base.

Second is brand building. A physical presence builds trust, strengthens partnerships, and enhances long-term recruitment pipelines. Deakin’s achievement has bolstered Australia’s education brand in India significantly.

Third is collaboration. On-the-ground hubs enable deeper engagement with Indian researchers, universities, and industry. The University of Melbourne has long-standing partnerships in India, and its new Centre creates fresh opportunities for joint research in areas like climate, public health, and innovation.

The Challenges of Going Global

Despite strong opportunities, foreign universities face hurdles. Regulatory risks persist. India’s education policy is still evolving, and approvals, compliance, and academic freedom may fluctuate under changing administrations.

Operating abroad also entails high costs. Campuses must meet infrastructure and staffing standards while keeping fees competitive. Deakin’s early success will be watched closely to gauge financial sustainability and student outcomes. Furthermore, institutions face rising domestic competition from India's own improving public and private universities.

A Model for Future Engagement?

Melbourne’s universities are positioning themselves as leaders in what could become a defining trend in international education. With both governments aligned and India’s regulatory environment evolving in favor of foreign providers, the time is right for strategic investment.

The success of these initiatives will depend on thoughtful execution, sustained engagement, and the ability to adapt to local needs. But if managed well, Australia’s footprint in Indian higher education could grow significantly - and become a blueprint for global expansion elsewhere.

Sources:

1. india.highcommission.gov.auindia.highcommission.gov.au Australia’s High Commissioner to India lauds Deakin University’s branch campus in GIFT City (Press Release, 10 Jan 2024) – Announcing the inauguration of Deakin’s GIFT City campus as the first foreign university campus in India, noting it as a “new chapter” in Australia-India education ties and citing over 122,000 Indian students in Australia in 2023.
2. austrade.gov.auaustrade.gov.au Austrade – “Australia’s Deakin University the first to open foreign campus in India” (5 July 2024) – Describes Prime Minister Albanese’s 2023 announcement of Deakin’s India campus after 30 years in India, and notes that students at the GIFT City campus will pay about half the cost of studying in Australia.
3. unimelb.edu.auunimelb.edu.au University of Melbourne Newsroom – “University of Melbourne launches Global Centre in Delhi” (17 Sep 2024) – Reports on the opening of the Melbourne Global Centre in New Delhi, its strategic location and purpose to facilitate collaboration across education, research, industry and the community as the University’s hub in India.
4. insidehighered.com Inside Higher Ed – “India Sets Rules for Foreign Universities” (18 Jan 2023) – Explains India’s draft regulations (later finalized in 2023) allowing foreign universities ranked in the global top 500 to open branch campuses with autonomy over fees, admissions and faculty, provided they offer quality on par with their home campus.
5. austrade.gov.au Austrade – “GIFT City… Different regulations meant we could operate as a university in our own right” – Vice-President of Deakin explains that GIFT City’s special economic zone regulations allowed financial incentives and profit repatriation, enabling Deakin to establish its campus under a unique regime.
6. financialexpress.com Financial Express – “First foreign university under UGC is Southampton, not Deakin” (23 Sep 2024) – Clarifies that after Deakin (and Wollongong) set up in GIFT City under a special framework, the UK’s University of Southampton became the first to receive UGC approval to operate a campus in India (in Delhi NCR, opening 2025), illustrating the expanding competition.
7. education.gov.aueducation.gov.au Australian Department of Education – “Australia’s Education Strategy for India” (Nov 2023) – Highlights Education Minister Jason Clare’s remarks that international education “is not a one-way street… [it is] increasingly about Australian universities going to the world,” and notes the celebration of new Deakin and Wollongong campuses as part of the bilateral education partnership.
8. opportunities-insight.britishcouncil.org British Council – Higher Education Sector in India (2023) – Provides data on the scale of India’s higher education market, with 43.3 million students enrolled in tertiary education (an increase of nearly 2 million in one year), underlining the vast demand and growth potential in the sector.
9. insidehighered.com Inside Higher Ed – Academic Freedom Concerns – Cites expert commentary that foreign universities may have hesitations due to India’s “spotty record on academic freedom,” pointing to the need to consider institutional autonomy and values when operating in India.