The UK government is keen to welcome Indian Institute of Technology’s (IIT’s) offshore campuses, said British government officials. Some UK universities are already in talks with IITs to explore the possibility of setting up offshore campuses. Similarly, UK universities are also keen to set up their offshore campuses in India. These universities are awaiting the nod from University Grants Commission (UGC) to move formally in this regard.
Steve Smith, International Education Champion of the UK government said, "Certainly, there has been a discussion about IITs setting up their campuses abroad. We have talked to the Indian High Commission in London because we think nothing would symbolise better the genuine two-way nature of the relationship between the two countries than IITs or other top institutions in India deciding to set up campuses in the UK. So we are very open to that.”
Smith said that a lot of UK institutions have spoken to IITs about the possibility. He added that this might not happen right now but it is how the relationship might develop.
A delegation of UK universities and education leaders, helmed by Smith, is on a five-day visit to India to meet stakeholders to discuss dual degrees and collaborations on research. The delegation participated in the India-UK Higher Education Conference organised by the British Council on September 18 and 19 in Delhi.
Meanwhile, IIT Madras is setting up its campus in Tanzania’s Zanzibar and IIT Delhi is setting up a campus in Abu Dhabi.
Smith said that UK universities can come to India when the regulatory framework is sorted “because no governing body anywhere in the world would commit to that unless the regulatory framework was agreed, signed and sealed”.
(With PTI inputs)
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