Under NEP 2020, Foreign Universities Can Operate in India, Local Varsities to Set up Campuses Abroad

The New Education Policy 2020, passed by cabinet on Wednesday, takes a step towards the internationalisation of education by proposing a legislative framework that allows foreign universities to operate in India, and similarly, encourages high performing Indian universities to set up campuses in other countries.

According to the NEP 2020, “Select universities (e.g., those from among the top 100 universities in the world) will be permitted to operate in India.”

“A legislative framework facilitating such entry will be put in place, and such universities will be given special dispensation regarding regulatory, governance, and content norms on par with other autonomous institutions of India,” it added.

Similarly, “High performing Indian universities will be encouraged to set up campuses in other countries, and similarly.”

Furthermore, NEP has encouraged research collaborations and student exchanges between Indian institutions and global institutions through special efforts. “Credits acquired in foreign universities will be permitted, where appropriate as per the requirements of each (Higher Education Institution) HEI, to be counted for the award of a degree.”

The government has framed a policy, which is flexible, multidisciplinary and seeks to increase the number of international students studying in India. It also provides greater mobility to students in India who may wish to visit, study at, transfer credits to, or carry out research at institutions abroad, and vice versa.

The new policy proposes courses and programmes in subjects such as Indology, Indian languages, yoga, arts, music, history, culture, and modern India. It also proposes internationally relevant curricula in the sciences, social sciences, meaningful opportunities for social engagement, quality residential facilities and on-campus support, etc.

This will be promoted to meet global quality standards, attract greater numbers of international students, and achieve the target of ‘internationalisation at home’.

Among other steps taken for India to attain global recognition in education, an 'International Students Office' at each HEI hosting foreign students will be set up to coordinate all matters relating to welcoming and supporting students arriving from abroad. "Research/teaching collaborations and faculty/student exchanges with high-quality foreign institutions will be facilitated, and relevant mutually-beneficial MOUs with foreign countries will be signed,” it said.