The University of Western Australia (UWA), Perth, has received approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC) to set up multiple branch campuses across India — marking a historic milestone for both nations. The university’s India hub will be based in Mumbai, with an additional campus to follow in Chennai. Both are expected to be operational by August 2026.
A high-level delegation from UWA, led by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Experience) Professor Guy Littlefair, is currently in India to engage with government authorities, state agencies, and leading institutions to build a strong foundation for these campuses. The visit also aims to foster partnerships with Indian industry leaders and business communities to ensure the new campuses integrate seamlessly with India’s innovation and education ecosystem.
Ranked among the world’s top 100 universities, UWA will become the first Ivy League-equivalent institution and the first member of Australia’s prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities to establish a physical presence in India. The move reflects UWA’s strategic vision to connect with India’s rapidly evolving knowledge economy and contribute to its growing global influence in education, research, and entrepreneurship.
“India, home to the world’s largest youth population — over 371 million people aged 15 to 29 — represents a digitally native, entrepreneurial, and globally connected generation driving innovation and growth,” said Professor Littlefair. “With one of the world’s most vibrant startup ecosystems, India is translating research into real-world impact. UWA’s expansion is designed to harness this energy, learn from it, and contribute to it through world-class research, teaching, and industry partnerships.”
According to Littlefair, establishing campuses in Mumbai and Chennai, two of India’s most dynamic urban centres, aligns perfectly with UWA’s mission to be at the forefront of innovation. “By situating ourselves within these hubs of creativity and progress, we are embedding UWA at the heart of India’s future,” he added.
The Mumbai campus will serve as the central hub, launching first, followed by the Chennai campus. Both will offer programs designed to bridge academic excellence with real-world application, ensuring that students gain not only theoretical knowledge but also exposure to research and industry collaborations.
UWA’s ongoing collaborations in India already reflect this vision. The university has partnered with the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) to promote engagement in health and medical sciences through student internships and immersion experiences. It has also joined hands with Avid Sports to create pathways in sports science, business, and high-performance disciplines, and with HCLTech to integrate industry-led innovation models into academic programs.
The upcoming India campuses will also function as hubs for innovation and entrepreneurship, hosting startup launchpads, collaborative research centres, and cross-border incubation programmes. These initiatives aim to build a bi-national innovation ecosystem connecting students, researchers, and industry partners from both India and Western Australia.
Furthermore, UWA’s School of Earth and Oceans is already collaborating with premier Indian institutions to drive sustainable research in areas such as renewable energy, climate change, ocean science, and responsible mining. These initiatives will be further strengthened once the Indian campuses become operational, providing local platforms for joint projects and global knowledge exchange.
This expansion marks a significant step in Australia–India education relations, aligning with the broader goal of increasing cross-border collaboration in higher education and research. For Indian students, the establishment of UWA campuses within the country means access to world-class education and international faculty without the financial and logistical challenges of studying abroad.
As the countdown to August 2026 begins, UWA’s upcoming campuses in Mumbai and Chennai stand as symbols of a new era in global education — one built on collaboration, innovation, and shared growth between two nations that value knowledge as their greatest asset.
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