Under the proposed framework, foreign universities would be permitted to establish academic centres within Indian university campuses for a limited tenure of up to 10 years. During this period, these institutions could offer joint teaching programmes, collaborative research initiatives, and degree courses, fostering deeper academic engagement between Indian and global universities.
NITI Aayog Proposal: Campus-within-Campus Model
NITI Aayog has outlined this initiative in its comprehensive report on the Internationalisation of Higher Education in India, which seeks to position leading Indian higher education institutions at the forefront of global academic and research discourse. The report presents 22 policy recommendations, supported by 76 action pathways, 125 performance success indicators, and 30 best practices drawn from Indian and international institutions.
Among the key recommendations are the formulation of a comprehensive national strategy for internationalisation and the establishment of an Indian Alumni Ambassador Network to strengthen global outreach, partnerships, and academic collaboration.
The policy roadmap highlights a critical challenge: India sends significantly more students overseas than it attracts, with countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada continuing to be the most preferred destinations for Indian students. NITI Aayog believes that the campus-within-campus model could bring high-quality global education closer to home, offering international exposure while reducing the financial burden associated with studying abroad.
Additionally, the government think tank has recommended simplifying credit transfer mechanisms, streamlining regulatory approvals, and enabling joint or co-branded degrees to enhance the global competitiveness of Indian universities. Other proposals include improving visa norms for international students and aligning curricula with global academic standards.
The initiative is aligned with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP), which encourages the entry of top global institutions into India and envisages the country emerging as a global education hub in the coming decades.
