Liverpool is now all poised to become a household name in Indian higher education, as the University of Liverpool formally launches its offshore campus in Bengaluru, committing to offering the same degrees and level of academic standards as its UK home campus. This historic move is the first occasion on which a Russell Group university has established a bricks-and-mortar campus in India, representing a major change in transnational education partnerships between the United Kingdom and India.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, Professor Tim Jones, during the campus opening, assured that Indian students graduating from the Bengaluru campus will earn a degree that is “identical in standard and value” to that awarded in the UK. “Same degree, same standards – that’s our guiding principle,” said Professor Jones.
Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in Computer Science, Data Science, and Business Management will be initially provided by the Bengaluru campus. The courses are to begin in September 2026, and the University of Liverpool has joined hands with the Indian education group GEMS to enable operations, infrastructure, and student services in India.
This move follows the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations revealed last year, which permit foreign world top-500 universities to operate campuses in India on their own or through collaborations, subject to certain academic and financial standards. Liverpool has been one of the earliest to jump under this new regime.
Liverpool‘s campus in Bengaluru will be in the Whitefield technology park and is likely to cater to more than 1,000 students in its first three years. The fees, though much cheaper than in the UK, will likely be in the range of ₹12-18 lakhs per year. Scholarships and financial aid will be made available, according to the university, to deserving students to promote diversity and access.
Professor Jones clarified, “This is not a franchise model. The University of Liverpool will have direct control over the curriculum, faculty hiring, assessment, and academic governance. Students in Bengaluru will be taught by Liverpool staff or by staff vetted and trained by Liverpool. Degrees will be awarded by the University of Liverpool itself.”
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The launch of Liverpool‘s campus in Bengaluru is being seen as a turning point for international education, particularly for Indian students who want the UK degree but are held back by the expense and practicality of moving overseas. With more than 140,000 Indian students already studying in the UK, the University of Liverpool believes this new model will allow more diverse group of Indian students to benefit from its internationally respected qualifications.
Studying in India at the Liverpool campus will be a game-changer. We will provide world-class research-informed teaching, quality assurance from the UK, and an accessible route into a global career for Indian students,” said Dr. Louise Kenny, Executive Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, who is also directing academic delivery at the Bengaluru campus.
Indian authorities welcomed the decision as a significant endorsement of India as a destination of choice for education. UGC Chairman M. Jagadesh Kumar expressed, “The coming of the University of Liverpool signals a new era for India’s education sector. We are happy that India is no longer merely perceived as a sender of students, but rather as a destination of choice to receive high-quality education delivery.
Academic analysts are of the view that Liverpool‘s move may prompt other leading UK and international universities to emulate it, considering India’s demographic prime of a young population and growing need for international-standard education in domestic institutions. Already, various other universities from Australia and America have indicated their interest in such initiatives.
But doubts persist regarding affordability, access, and sustainability over the long term. While Liverpool guarantees UK-equivalent teaching and degrees, critics question whether the real test will be whether its Indian campus can reflect the cultural and academic environment of its UK equivalent. There are worries regarding regulatory issues, particularly related to faculty recruitment, campus governance, and degree accreditation.
Meeting these challenges, Professor Tim Jones said, “We have collaborated closely with Indian authorities to achieve full compliance with academic, administrative, and legal standards. Our vision of quality, integrity, and equality remains unchanged. Our Bengaluru students will not be second-class citizens; they will be full members of the Liverpool academic family.”
The University of Liverpool was established in 1881 and is an original member of the elite Russell Group of research universities in the UK. It has a reputation of being ranked among the top 200 institutions in the world on an ongoing basis. With strong emphasis on interdepartmental research and international collaborations, Liverpool has developed a solid reputation in areas like engineering, medicine, business, and artificial intelligence.
The campus at Bengaluru will also provide student exchange opportunities, summer schools, and the possibility of doing part of the degree in the UK. These flexible routes are intended not just for Indian students but also for students in surrounding countries of South Asia.
Students who graduate from the Liverpool Bengaluru campus will also be able to apply for UK graduate courses and have the benefit of alumni membership exactly like their counterparts in the UK. Collaborations with the best Indian IT companies and multinational corporations are being established so that students can have internships and placements arranged.
Apart from academic growth, Liverpool is also looking into possibilities of engaging with local research and innovation ecosystems. The university has shown interest in engaging with institutions in India such as the Indian Institute of Technology (IISc) and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in collaborative research, particularly in climate change, digital transformation, and health technologies.
As India goes deeper into engagements with foreign universities in the National Education Policy 2020, the Liverpool campus model can be a harbinger of a hybrid, internationally aligned higher education system that is accessible and also world-class.
With enrollment set to start next year, everyone now waits with bated breath to see if Liverpool‘s guarantee of “same degree, same standards” will pass the test of delivery in the Indian context.
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