UK and Australia univs to set up campuses in Navi Mumbai, signs MoUs with state

faisal.malik@htlive.com

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with two globally renowned institutions — the University of York in the UK and University of Western Australia — to establish campuses in the state’s upcoming Education City in Navi Mumbai. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis made the announcement on Friday at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex.

Describing the initiative as a significant step towards transforming Maharashtra into a global education hub, Fadnavis said the Edu City will host campuses of top-ranked international universities, enabling Indian students to access world-class higher education without leaving the country.

“We are setting up an Edu City in Navi Mumbai to bring the best universities from across the globe to India,” Fadnavis said. “The University of York, ranked among the top four in the United Kingdom, and the University of Western Australia are the first to come on board.” He added that the foreign campuses will operate as full-fledged universities, offering the same quality of education as their parent institutions abroad. “Until now, students had to travel overseas, often at a great financial cost. With this initiative, quality international education will be available right here in Maharashtra.”

Vice-chancellor of the University of York professor Charlie Jeffery said the campus is set to start admitting students from the 2026/27 academic year and will start by offering undergraduate and postgraduate studies in computer science, business, economics, and creative industries.

The MoUs form part of a larger plan by the state government to develop India’s first integrated education city. In addition to the two confirmed universities, discussions are underway with eight more institutions. Of these, three are awaiting approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC), while talks with five others are in preliminary stages.

Fadnavis also revealed that the participating universities are expected to invest around ₹1,500 crore in setting up their campuses. The move has been made possible following recent changes to India’s National Education Policy, which allows foreign universities to establish branch campuses in the country.