NISAU partners with London Metropolitan University to strengthen India-UK education ties

The National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK (NISAU) and London Metropolitan University have signed an agreement to strengthen India-UK education ties, support Indian students and improve employment opportunities. The agreement was signed at a ceremony in the House of Lords in London on October 30, 2026, in the presence of several British parliamentarians.

The partnership will focus on student support and welfare, international student mobility, employability, transnational education and policy engagement. It aims to support Indian students throughout their journey of studying in the UK, from choosing a university and arriving in the country to completing their education and building careers.

According to the press release, the agreement was signed in the presence of Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE, NISAU patron and Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on International Students; veteran Labour parliamentarian Virendra Sharma; and Gurinder Singh Josan CBE MP. Baroness Prashar and Lord Philip Hunt of Kings Heath, who hosted the event, were also present.

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The agreement comes amid efforts to strengthen India-UK cooperation in education, skills and student mobility. The press release noted that Indian nationals were the largest group of international students in the UK, with 95,231 study visas granted in 2025, according to UK Home Office figures.

Partnership to support Indian students in UK

The agreement will follow a triple helix model involving universities, employers and policymakers in India and the UK. The aim is to connect students' academic learning with employment requirements and opportunities in both countries.

The partnership will also work towards improving student welfare and providing support at different stages of international education, including university selection, arrival in the UK, academic life, graduation and career development.

Julie Hall, Vice-Chancellor of London Metropolitan University, said the partnership would strengthen educational links and create opportunities for international student mobility.

“At London Met, our mission has always been clear: to transform lives through education. We are proud to be a university rooted in one of the most diverse cities in the world, London, and to reflect that diversity in our community, our outlook and our partnerships,” Hall said.

She added that the collaboration with NISAU would help build connections between institutions, students and communities.

“By working together, we can create pathways that enable students to access new experiences, develop their capabilities and become the leaders, innovators and global citizens of tomorrow,” she said.

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Sanam Arora, founder and chair of NISAU, said the partnership would focus on the complete student journey and help connect universities, employers and policymakers in both countries.

Arora said, “The trade deal and Vision 2035 set the direction for the India–UK relationship. The people who make it real are the tens of thousands of Indian students who arrive in Britain every year.” 

She added that the partnership would help ensure that a London Metropolitan University education creates career opportunities in the UK, India and other countries.

“London Met has stood with NISAU for years, and we are delighted to formalise that relationship in Parliament,” she said.

India-UK education cooperation

The partnership comes after India and the UK concluded their Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and outlined the India-UK Vision 2035, which identifies education, skills and people-to-people connections as important areas of cooperation.

The press release also referred to the UK Prime Minister's Diwali reception at 10 Downing Street, where he pledged to build “the strongest possible links with India”.

NISAU and London Metropolitan University said the agreement would build on their existing work to strengthen educational cooperation and improve opportunities for students.

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Both organisations have received recent recognition for their contributions to education.

NISAU was named Membership Organisation of the Year at the 2026 PIEoneer Awards, held at Guildhall in London. London Metropolitan University received the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Higher and Further Education in February 2026. The award was presented by The King and Queen at St James's Palace.

NISAU has also led the seven-year Fair Visa, Fair Chance campaign, which contributed to the restoration of the UK's Graduate Route post-study work visa in 2021.

London Metropolitan University has supported NISAU's initiatives, including the India UK Achievers Honours, India UK Education Conference and India Global Education Summit, which NISAU convenes with the Government of Tamil Nadu.

The university said the new agreement aligns with its priorities around student success, graduate outcomes, inclusive education and social mobility.