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University of Liverpool Gets Approval for Bengaluru Campus

Synopsis

The University of Liverpool has received approval from India’s Ministry of Education to set up its Bengaluru campus, offering UG and PG programs under NEP 2020.

The University of Liverpool has received official approval from India’s Ministry of Education to set up its campus in Bengaluru. The move marks a major step in the internationalisation of higher education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The approval was formally handed over by Higher Education Secretary and University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Vineet Joshi to Professor Richard Grose, Provost of University of Liverpool, Bengaluru. The event was attended by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. Senior officials from both India and the United Kingdom, including Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and British High Commissioner Lindy Cameron, were also present.

The Ministry of Education said in its statement, “In a significant step toward internationalisation of higher education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Ministry of Education today handed over the letter of approval (LoA) to the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, to establish its branch campus in Bengaluru, Karnataka”.

The ministry added that the Bengaluru campus will offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs across multiple disciplines, including business management, computer science, game design, finance, and biomedical sciences. It also said that more academic programs may be added in the future as the campus expands.

According to the ministry, the establishment of the campus reflects India’s broader push to bring globally recognised universities into the country under NEP 2020. The policy aims to promote international collaboration, improve student mobility, and allow top global institutions to operate directly in India.

The government also noted that the presence of foreign universities in India is expected to strengthen academic ties between India and the United Kingdom. It said, “opening of Liverpool University Campus in India is expected to further boost the bilateral relations” between the two countries.

The University of Liverpool had earlier received a letter of intent (LoI) on May 26, 2025, in New Delhi under the University Grants Commission (Setting Up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023. Over the past year, the university completed required academic planning, infrastructure preparation, and regulatory compliance before receiving final approval.

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The ministry further stated that the UGC evaluated the university’s readiness before granting the letter of approval, ensuring that all regulatory conditions were met. With this approval, the university is now set to begin operations in India.

Officials said the opening of globally recognised campuses in India will expand higher education opportunities for students while improving access to international academic standards without the need to study abroad. It is also expected to strengthen research collaboration and cross-border academic exchange.

With the Bengaluru campus, the University of Liverpool joins a growing list of global institutions expanding into India under NEP 2020, marking a shift in how higher education is delivered and accessed in the country.

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