edited by: Oindrila Mukherjee
Last Update: January 05, 2023, 22:06 IST
Both Indian and International students can take admission in such FHEI campuses. (Representational Image: Reuters/File)
Foreign higher education institutions that want to open a campus in India must be among the top 500 global ranking universities or it must be an “institution of repute in its home region”.
Indian students will now be able to study in top foreign universities, which will be allowed to set up their campuses across the country. The draft guidelines to this effect were released on Thursday as “internationalization” of higher education was one of the major policy initiatives under the National education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The draft guidelines, titled The (Establishment and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023, were released by the University Grants Commission (UGC), giving universities “greater autonomy” in deciding their own admission process. Permitted and Fee Structure Both Indian and International students can take admission in such campuses.
What are the rules?
Want to open campus in Foreign Higher Education Institution (FHEI), as per regulations India Must be in the top 500 global ranking universities or it must be “an institution of repute in its home region”. The quality of courses taught at the Indian campus should be at par with the main campus in the parent country.
The guidelines are meant to regulate admission to and conduct of undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, post-doctoral and other programs in India as well as award of degrees, diplomas and certificates in all disciplines in India.
However, the rules do not allow these institutes to teach courses in online mode. “The programs to be offered under these regulations shall not be permitted in online and ‘open and distance learning (ODL)’ mode,” the draft said.
“The opening of these campuses will help Indian students to acquire foreign qualifications at an affordable cost. Initial approval to these universities will be given for 10 years. At the same time, they will also have to ensure that the foreign faculty appointed to teach in the campuses stay here for a reasonable period. UGC Chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar said, it should not happen that they come as visiting faculty just for a week and go back.
Is there a demand for such institutes in India?
Kumar said that in 2022, around 4.5 lakh Indian students had gone abroad, indicating that there was a huge demand for FHEIs. There would be many more students willing to study in these universities but they may not have the same financial means and hence, opening of these campuses would give them an opportunity to study in foreign institutions.
“We already have several top institutes from some countries in Europe showing keen interest in setting up a campus in India. When we told them about the upcoming policy, all the foreign delegations coming to UGC have also shown interest to see this possibility. I expect a very diverse range of subjects to be offered from these institutions.”
UGC has sought feedback on the draft guidelines by January 18. Universities will have to take UGC approval to open campuses in any part of the country. “The final rules are likely to come out by the end of January,” the chairperson said.
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