Union Minister of Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, along with Haryana Chief Minister Shri Nayab Singh Saini, today inaugurated the India campus of the University of Southampton in Gurugram, Haryana. This landmark event commemorates five years of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and marks a major milestone in India’s push toward internationalisation of higher education. Also present were senior dignitaries, including Haryana’s Industries Minister Shri Rao Narbir Singh, Lord Patel OBE (Chancellor of the University), British High Commissioner Ms. Lindy Cameron, and Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mark E. Smith.
The University of Southampton—a QS Top 100 global university and founding member of the UK’s Russell Group—becomes the first foreign university to establish a physical campus in India under the University Grants Commission’s new regulations. The Gurugram campus was set up within a year of receiving the Letter of Intent in August 2024, demonstrating a strong commitment to the India-UK education partnership under the India-UK Roadmap 2030.
Speaking at the event, Shri Pradhan praised the university’s efforts and reaffirmed India’s vision of becoming a global knowledge hub. He said the new campus strengthens educational ties with the UK and supports NEP 2020’s goal of bringing global institutions to India. Shri Pradhan encouraged the University to offer STEM courses and make the campus a hub for addressing global challenges.
The Gurugram campus will begin offering globally recognised undergraduate and postgraduate programmes from 2025, including BSc degrees in Computer Science, Economics, Business Management, Accounting & Finance, and MSc programmes in Finance and International Management. Students may also spend up to a year at the University’s UK or Malaysia campuses.
Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Vineet Joshi and Haryana CM Shri Nayab Singh Saini expressed their strong support for the initiative. Dr. Joshi called it a proud moment in India–UK collaboration and highlighted UGC’s streamlined process that enables such educational advancements.
The campus will employ over 75 full-time faculty from global academic hubs, and the inaugural student batch includes individuals from India, UAE, and Nepal. Southampton’s global alumni network of 290,000, including 1,700 from India, is expected to support the new campus as mentors and ambassadors. This launch signifies a new chapter in India’s higher education landscape—bridging global excellence with local access.
