Revanth To Invite Foreign Universities to Future City

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will invite leading universities from the US and the UK to establish offshore campuses in Bharat Future City during his overseas tour covering the US, UK, Germany and China from August 17 to September 10.

The state government will offer land to these institutions in a dedicated Education Zone being developed in Future City, official sources said.

Sources said Revanth Reddy's foreign tour was primarily aimed at attracting foreign higher educational institutions (FHEIs) to Future City and showcasing the state's vision of creating an international destination for higher education, research, innovation, sports and skill development.

Revanth Reddy is expected to hold meetings with officials of Illinois State University in the US, the University of Aberdeen and the University of York in the UK, besides interacting with investors, sports organisations and training institutes to explore long-term partnerships.

Sources said nearly 15 universities from the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand had expressed interest in establishing offshore campuses in Telangana, particularly in and around Hyderabad.

The University of Colorado in the US and the University of London in the UK had already submitted applications to the University Grants Commission (UGC), seeking permission to establish campuses in Hyderabad. In addition, representatives of nearly a dozen other foreign universities have approached the Telangana government, with discussions underway to identify suitable locations for their proposed campuses.

Among the institutions exploring opportunities in Telangana are Purdue University and Northeastern University in the US, whose representatives are in discussions with state officials. The University of Birmingham in the UK and the University of Western Australia have proposed sports-focused campuses, while Newcastle University, the University of Chichester and the University of Hertfordshire are also holding consultations with the state government on establishing a presence in Telangana.

The proposed campuses would offer programmes in business, economics, accounting, finance, software engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, game design, entrepreneurship, innovation, biomedical sciences and several other emerging disciplines aligned with global academic and industry requirements.

Officials said the Chief Minister would use the visit to promote Bharat Future City as an international education and investment destination while seeking collaborations that would improve educational standards in Telangana, equip students with globally competitive skills and strengthen the state's sports ecosystem.

Revanth Reddy is also scheduled to visit leading universities and skill development centres in the US, UK, Germany and China, with the possibility of signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with several educational institutions to elevate higher and skill education in Telangana to international standards.

The initiative comes as the UGC has opened the door for globally reputed universities to establish offshore campuses in India under the University Grants Commission (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023. The regulations permit eligible foreign universities to establish independent campuses in the country through a structured approval process.

Under the framework, the UGC has introduced a single-window clearance mechanism and constituted a high-powered Standing Committee to evaluate applications from foreign universities.

The committee scrutinises proposals and submits recommendations to the Commission, based on which the UGC grants in-principle approval through a Letter of Intent. Only foreign universities ranked among the world's top 500 institutions are eligible to apply, and they are required to furnish the latest accreditation and quality assurance reports from recognised agencies.

Official data shows that the UGC has so far issued 16 Letters of Intent to 15 Foreign Higher Educational Institutions from Australia, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States to establish campuses in cities including Bengaluru, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Mumbai and Chennai.