The Catholic University of America (CUA) is considering options to partner with Indian varsities as the University Grants Commission (UGC) has allowed foreign universities to set campuses in the country. The CUA is in talks with SRM University, Vellore Institute of Technology, University of Mumbai, among others to collaborate on academic exchange, Mary Ellen Mahoney, dean, CUA, who is on a visit to India, told FE Education Online. “We are currently exploring options with Indian universities to best support our students with shared academic programmes, research, and faculty exchange,” Mahoney said.
According to the UGC guidelines, universities abroad that are in the top 500 in global rankings, and certain others can set up campuses in India. These campuses will be governed under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999. “This is our initial visit to see what we can do in the short term. As we become more familiar with the education system here, setting up a campus could be our next step,” Mahoney added.
In an effort to catch the eyeballs of Indian students, the university claims to have established a new application process for international students. Under this, students will just have to submit a copy of their transcript and a copy of their English proficiency test score. “This would make the application process less time consuming as fewer documents will be required,” Mahoney said. The university also claims to help students to get their visas faster by issuing the I-20 form, a Certificate of Eligibility issued by accredited colleges or universities in the US, within three to four weeks.
Additionally, CUA provides up to 100% scholarship to meritorious students with the aim to provide access to quality education. The average fee after aid at the university ranges between $35,000 to $50,000. The university offers degrees in STEM courses, data analytics, computer science, business programmes, among others.