Latest news with #MumbaiRising:CreatinganInternationalEducationCity
Hindustan Times
16 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
5 foreign universities to offer courses at ‘significantly reduced costs': CM Devendra Fadnavis
MUMBAI: Indian students dreaming of a cheaper global education have a boon coming their way. In a first, the University Grants Commission on Saturday issued Letters of Intent (LoIs) to five well-known international universities to set up full-fledged campuses in the country. These campuses will all be in Navi Mumbai, creating the country's first international education hub. This announcement was made by CM Devendra Fadnavis at the 'Mumbai Rising: Creating an International Education City' event at the Taj Hotel, where union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan was present along with Maharashtra higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil, UGC chairman Vineet Joshi, bureaucrats, diplomats from the UK, Australia, USA and Italy and representatives from the five universities. Fadnavis said that the universities, set up under the National Education Policy (NEP), would bring 'world-class education at significantly reduced costs' to students—25 to 30 percent of what they pay to study abroad. 'The campuses will be set up in the area around the Navi Mumbai International Airport,' he said. 'The government's larger goal is to have at least 10 international universities in this region.' The chief minister said the proposed education hub was already well equipped with the necessary transport infrastructure, including the Atal Setu and other transport networks. 'This initiative is expected to give Mumbai, known mainly for its industries, finance, and entertainment, a new identity as an academic destination,' he said. When asked whether the universities would have scholarships, Fadnavis said it was up to them and depended on their policies. 'The government has not asked for any scholarships from them,' he said. A senior officer from UGC stated that UGC regulations for foreign universities had a provision of need-based scholarships, but the universities would have the autonomy to decide about these. The CM also spoke about a recent MoU signed between the University of Western Australia and Gondwana University in Gadchiroli. The partnership will focus on mining education and training, an area where Australia has strong expertise. 'The collaboration will play an important role in developing Gadchiroli as a mining hub and creating a skilled workforce for this sector,' he said. Pradhan said that the international education hub was a major step towards realising the vision of a 'developed India by 2047'. 'Mumbai is the financial capital and also the city of dreams,' he said. 'With this initiative, it is also set to become a global education capital.' The minister emphasised that India had a rich tradition in education in ancient times and this project was a part of the country's effort to 'reclaim that legacy'. Speaking about NEP 2020, Pradhan said that the policy allowed foreign universities to open campuses in India, and likewise, leading Indian institutions could also establish campuses abroad. He noted that some institutions like IIT, Madras, the IIMs, and Symbiosis University had already begun expanding internationally. The event also included a moment of tribute for the victims of the recent tragedy in Ahmedabad, adding a sombre note to the otherwise celebratory gathering.
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
5 foreign universities awarded LOIs to start campuses in Navi Mumbai; fees 25% lower than overseas
Mumbai: Five foreign universities that were awarded letters of intent (LOIs) to set up full-fledged campuses in Navi Mumbai will offer courses at fees at least 25-30% lower than what students currently pay to study abroad, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced at an event on Saturday. The idea is to make foreign education both accessible and affordable to Indian students, he added. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was also in Mumbai for the event, said including the five in Navi Mumbai, nine foreign universities have already been given permission to start operations in the country, and six more are in the pipeline. Two have already started offering their programmes in Gujarat's Gift City, he added. The University of Aberdeen (UK), the University of York (UK), the University of Western Australia, the Illinois Institute of Technology (US), and the Istituto Europeo di Design (Italy) were granted the LOIs under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, at the 'Mumbai Rising: Creating an International Education City' event held in Colaba on Saturday. Officials said the five universities in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) have been given an 18-month window to start operations in the country and will enjoy full autonomy in deciding the programmes, the academic session, curriculum, fees, among other things. These will be open to international students as well. Fadnavis said the entry of the five foreign universities will launch the state's dream of making Mumbai and Maharashtra an international education hub. The idea is to host at least 10 leading international universities in the Education City, he said, adding talks are on with a few more universities. These foreign institutions will not only make global education affordable for Indian students, but also help in creating a global workforce, he said. Fadnavis added the state will only be facilitating the universities' plans to set up campuses but will not bear any financial responsibility. The foreign universities will not be following any constitutional reservations, and scholarship policies will be as per their individual policies, said the CM. Other state universities will be free to collaborate with these universities to offer joint programmes. For instance, said Fadnavis, Gondwana University in Gadchiroli, which is setting up a mining hub, has already collaborated with an Australian university and will be using their expertise in mining. The 250-acre EduCity, being developed by Cidco, is within a five-km radius of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, and this region will soon also be developed as a medicity, a sports city, and a yet-to-be-announced innovation city – a one-of-its-kind innovation ecosystem in the country. Pradhan said that NEP will allow global institutions to establish branches in India and Indian institutions to open campuses abroad. He spoke about Indian universities setting up campuses abroad, including IIT-Madras (in Zanzibar), IIT-Delhi (in Abu Dhabi), and IIM-Ahmedabad (in Dubai). The entry of foreign universities will accelerate India's progress in education and development, he added. Vineet Joshi, acting chairman of UGC, Cidco MD Vijay Singhal, were present at the event along with Consul Generals from respective countries and academic officials from the five foreign universities. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Five foreign universities awarded LOIs to set up campuses in Maharashtra's Educity
As five foreign universities were awarded Letters of Intent (LOIs) on Saturday to set up their campuses in Maharashtra's Educity — a 250-acre facility to come up near Navi Mumbai International Airport, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that world-class global education will now become available to Indian students in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The CM was speaking at the 'Mumbai Rising: Creating an International Education City' event at Hotel Taj. The LOIs were awarded to the five foreign universities in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmedra Pradhan and officials from the University Grants Commission (UGC), which has drawn up regulatory policy for Foreign Higher Educational Institutions wanting to set up campuses in India. Pradhan said nine foreign universities have already been given permission to set up campuses in various parts of the country. And six more are in the pipeline. 'While our criteria was that all these universities are among the top 500 global ranks, most of those approved are from among the top 100 global ranks. India is becoming a destination for education and all this is made possible due to the National Education Policy NEP 2020.' Fadnavis highlighted the state government's plan to turn Mumbai into a global education hub with Educity, which will be a global education destination with infrastructure planned for 10 world-class universities. Fadnavis said five more foreign universities are to set up campuses in Educity, but their names are yet to be finalised. He added, 'Biggest benefit of this is to many youngsters from India who are not able to accomplish their dream of studying abroad due to inaccessibility or unaffordability. But now that these universities are going to be in Mumbai, Indian students will be able to accomplish their dream of foreign education with a 23-30 per cent lower cost.' Stating that this education hub aims to contribute to the growing economy of the country by providing a global workforce, Fadnavis also announced plans of setting up an innovation city in the same vicinity, which will be dedicated to encouraging the research ecosystem. 'Existence of these global universities near the innovation city will foster collaborations between academic research and industry innovations, creating the next generation of tech and other sector innovators,' he said. Reiterating how world-class education will be affordable and accessible to Indian students with foreign universities setting up campuses in India, Pradhan said, 'The entry of foreign universities will accelerate India's progress in education and development.' All these universities will enjoy full autonomy in deciding the curriculum, fees, programmes, course content, faculty recruitment among others. The affirmative reservations applicable in other higher education institutions in India will not be applicable to these universities. It will be up to the universities and their policies on whether they want to provide any scholarships. 📌 University of Aberdeen (UK): One of the oldest universities in the UK, it becomes the first Scottish university to establish a campus in India 📌 University of Western Australia (Australia): Part of Australia's prestigious Group of Eight (Go8), it will offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses in high-demand STEM fields — science, engineering, and industrial sectors 📌 University of York (UK): A leading research-intensive institution and a member of the Russell Group. It will offer cutting-edge programs in Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, business, economics, and creative industries 📌 Illinois Institute of Technology (US): The first American university to independently award degrees from a campus in India. It will offer programs in computer science, engineering, and business 📌 Istituto Europeo di Design (Italy): One of Europe's premium design schools, it will offer globally benchmarked training in fashion, product design, and visual communication
