UK's University of York to open campus in Mumbai; first cohort of students expected in 2026 with degrees in AI

NEW DELHI: The University of York, one of the UK's prestigious research-intensive institutions and a member of the elite Russell Group, has plans to open a new campus in Mumbai, officials said on Friday. The vice-chancellor of the university, Charlie Jeffery, has discussed the initiative with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the ongoing WAVES Summit in Mumbai and a formal memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed with the Maharashtra chief minister, paving the way for the new campus.

The proposed campus is expected to welcome its first cohort of students in 2026. Subject to the final regulatory approvals from the University Grants Commission (UGC), it will offer undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in computer science with artificial intelligence and cyber security, business, economics and creative industries. Programmes in emerging fields -- AI, cyber security, creative industries -- will be designed with global industry input, boosting job readiness in high-demand sectors and opening career pathways for Indian learners.

Focus on digital technologies and AI

"York's global reputation rests on its outstanding achievements in teaching and research and it is one of the only four universities in the UK -- alongside Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London -- which is both in the top 10 in the UK for the quality of its research and has a gold ranking for the quality of its teaching," Jeffery said.

"We have research strengths that align with India's priorities, especially in the areas of digital technologies, creative industries and the real-world applications for AI systems. We look forward to working with our partners in India to welcome students and establish new research opportunities," he added. Initially housed in a prominent business district in Mumbai, the University of York plans to develop a state-of-the-art campus over the coming years.

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UGC regulations for foreign campuses

All programmes will be delivered in line with York's academic standards, with students graduating with a University of York degree, enabling the university to bring its world-class academic model directly to one of the fastest-growing education markets in the world. The UGC had, in 2023, announced setting up and operation of campuses under the Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India Regulations.

While the UK's Southampton University is in the process of setting up its campus in India this year, two Australian universities -- Deakin and Wollongong -- already have campuses in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City). The Queen's University Belfast and the Coventry University have also received approval for setting up campuses in the GIFT City. So far, no US university has an offshore campus in India.