Eight Australian Universities are setting up their International Branch Campuses and Centres in India. The first two have already commenced operations at the GIFT City. Two more are starting soon, and four are setting up their branch campuses in India this year.
Deakin University and the University of Wollongong are running their courses in GIFT City, Gujarat. Western Sydney University’s Greater Noida campus will welcome its first students in 2027. The University of Western Australia in India is opening campuses in Mumbai and Chennai and investing AUS $ 84 million in India. Melbourne Global Centre (Delhi), Victoria University (Gurgaon), Flinders University, and La Trobe University are among the others.
According to Vik Singh, Trade and Investment Commissioner of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, Australia is becoming a preferred destination for Indian students, with 1,10,662 students from India in Australia, up from 76,547 in 2022 and 97,305 in 2023. Indian students are now the second-largest nationality in Australian universities. Australia is a warm, welcoming and open destination for students, Singh said.
For those who want to study in India and get Australian degrees, these universities are coming to India. More Australian universities, higher education institutions and school boards are looking to come to India. Austrade is bringing a 22-member Australian delegation to Pune from August 16 to 21 to showcase Australia’s education offerings and engage with Indian stakeholders, culminating with a conference for educators in Mumbai.
This is one of the largest such delegations in India to connect with the students, Singh said. They are meeting, among others, private universities in Pune, including MIT, DY Patil and Symbiosis, to explore engagements. The universities are looking to build relationships beyond the metros, Singh said. The universities are starting with STEM and business courses as it was easier to get going. They will later expand into other streams such as agri-tech and water management. There is a 50% cost reduction for students studying in Australia’s branch campuses in India.
The University of Western Australia in India (Mumbai and Chennai) will offer degree programmes in computer science, data science, cybersecurity, business management, AI, global business, economics and master’s in IT and MBA. UNSW Bengaluru offers bachelor’s programmes in business, computer science, data science, cyber security and media. Deakin has started a master’s programme in business analytics and cybersecurity. Wollongong is offering bachelor’s programmes in business, master’s in fintech, data analytics, and AI, and certificate programmes in fintech and computing. Victoria’s programmes include degree programmes in IT, data science, cybersecurity and business, master’s in applied IT and MBA.
They will be working on the Industry Academia Employability Project to develop employment pathways for Indian students studying in or with Australia, creating a future-ready talent pipeline for Australian and Indian businesses.