In a landmark moment for India’s transnational education landscape, the University of Liverpool has officially received a Letter of Intent (LoI) to establish its campus in Bengaluru. The announcement was made during a formal ceremony at the Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi, in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Dr Vineet Joshi, Interim Chair of the UGC.
Established in 1881, the University of Liverpool becomes the second UK-based university, after the University of Southampton, to receive this approval. The institution’s Bengaluru campus is expected to begin academic operations by the 2026-2027 session, offering programmes in law, business, and health sciences.
The Bengaluru campus will initially offer programmes in Business Management, Accounting and Finance, Computer Science, and Biomedical Sciences. It will also introduce a programme in Game Design — a unique offering for a UK university campus in India to offer the subject.
The new campus will also create enriching global exchange opportunities, providing UK-based students with an exciting new destination for international study.
Taking to his official X handle, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Delighted to hand over the Letter of Intent to the University of Liverpool, one of UK’s premier academic institutions, for setting up a campus in India. Today’s development is another milestone in India’s journey of deepening academic partnerships with leading global universities and also a reaffirmation of India’s emergence as a trusted partner in global higher education.”
This move aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s vision of encouraging foreign universities to establish campuses in India, thereby enhancing global collaborations and educational standards. The University of Liverpool is now the fourth foreign university to publicly confirm its presence in India.
"We are delighted to have received approval from the University Grants Commission to open Bengaluru’s first international campus. Opening a campus in the State of Karnataka and Bengaluru feels like the next natural step, building on the fantastic partnerships and collaborations we already enjoy there," said Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool.
As per the Education Minister, India expects up to 15 international universities, particularly in STEMB fields, to establish campuses by the end of this academic year, marking a significant leap towards making India a global hub for quality higher education.