At a time when the richest countries and biggest companies of the world are courting India for its “knowledge power”, can the grand old universities — which were once synonyms for higher education to Indians — be far behind? The universities of Cambridge and Oxford have also joined the rush to cultivate close relationships with India and its institutions.

Both the universities are currently focussing on establishing business centres. While Cambridge announced the Jawaharlal Nehru Professorship of Indian Business and Enterprise at its famous Judge Business School, Oxford followed it up with the establishment of the Oxford University India Business Centre (OUIBC) at the Saïd Business School, Oxford. The selected professor at Cambridge is expected to help create a dedicated Cambridge Centre for Indian Business at the Judge Business School. The stated aim of the centres at both the universities is to explore partnerships with Indian business and academic institutes in areas of research and development.

Old ties: King’s College at Oxford University and Alison Richard (above) the first woman vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge

“In recent years, India’s economic growth has been phenomenal. The India studies chair reflects our interest in the country’s success,” says Alison Richard, vice-chancellor, University of Cambridge. Richard is the first full-time woman vice-chancellor of the 800-year-old university. “Out of a long list of applicants, we have shortlisted two, and in a few weeks time, we will be announcing the winner,” she says.

On a recent ten-day tour of various Indian cities, Richard said, “The thread in all these visits is to celebrate partnerships and further the relationship between Cambridge and various institutions across India. We will also start conversations with the ones we don’t have any tie-up with.”

In recent times, the University of Oxford has made strengthening its relationship with India a key priority. Through new posts, scholarship programmes and academic and cultural exchanges, the university is expanding and invigorating its connections with India that go back 400 years. While announcing Oxford’s latest initiative, vice-chancellor Dr John Hood said, “'The primary objective of this research centre is to learn from India’s business success. A clear understanding of the issues faced by India and their innovative solutions, as India transitions from poverty to prosperity, will form a guide to future generations of countries attempting similar transitions.” The first Indian students joined Oxford in 1871. Just 12 years later, the university founded the Indian Institute at Oxford.

Cambridge University’s interests in India are also varied — from collaboration in earth sciences and conservation of threatened species to impact of climate change and human land use to research on Indian rivers and water management —and it plans to enter newer areas in coming years. “I am really excited about the various programmes that are in progress. For instance our professors are working closely with Jadavpur University in the field of water engineering. One of our professors is also acting as a guide to two PhD students from that university,” says Richard. She also enumerates Cambridge’s partnerships in the field of language, history, literature and religion with various Indian universities.

One of the areas of special interest to Cambridge is exchange programmes. “We want our students and faculty members to come to India and explore areas of mutual interest and vice versa. These can even be short visits in the form of study tours. Shorter exchanges between Cambridge and other centres of excellence will be the norm in future,” she predicts.

When asked about the high cost of living in the UK as compared to the US, which attracts more Indian students, Richard says that it is mere perception. “The perception that studying in Cambridge or in UK is extremely expensive is not correct. In fact, a majority of Indian students get some kind of financial aid,” she clarifies.

Scholarship programmes are being strengthened to attract more Indian students to supplement the 200 Cambridge currently has. “We are targeting around one billion pounds to provide financial assistance to students in need of aid, and I am sure many students from India will also benefit once this fund is launched,” says Richard. The university proposes to raise funds through their alumni, charitable trusts, foundations and corporates. “Of late we have started connecting with our alumni from around the world and they are quite willing to hear us out and contribute in anyway they can,” says Richard. India alone has around 1,200 alumni of Cambridge University.

And Richard has only praise for the Indian students that Cambridge attracts. “About 15 per cent of the students in our management school, which is one of the top business schools in the world, are Indians and its director tells me that they are simply outstanding,” she says.

Another area of concern for those aspiring to join UK universities is the visa regulations. The vice-chancellor says they are aware of the problem. “We are working very closely with the government so that the visa and other issues are addressed in a better manner. I think we can adopt the US system which is very good as far as granting visas to students are concerned,” says Richard.

Although both the universities want more Indian students, quality is something they will not compromise on. “We always look for quality rather than quantity,” says Richard. With illustrious Indians like Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi and economist Amartya Sen as its alumni, Cambridge can surely expect quality in great quantities from India.