By Vikram Chaudhary
In a move set to redefine the landscape of Indian higher education, global edtech leader Eruditus has announced strategic partnerships with seven premier international universities to establish physical campuses across Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Gurugram.
The initiative aims to bridge the gap between India’s high-achieving student population and the limited seats available at prestigious domestic institutions. By bringing global academic standards to Indian soil, the partnership seeks to retain the country’s brain drain while slashing the financial burden of an overseas education.
“Global student mobility is structurally shifting. Rising costs and policy barriers are keeping more Indian students at home, even as demand and opportunities for high-quality education in India grows,” Ashwin Damera, co-founder & CEO of Eruditus, told FE.
“For Eruditus, partnering with global universities is a long-term nation-building effort – strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem by enabling students to study, research, and commercialise technology at home while serving the global ecosystem. These partnerships go beyond teaching, driving research, industry collaboration, and real upward social mobility.”
Bridging the ‘elite gap’
The urgency of the project is underscored by a stark educational divide. Every year, roughly 1.7 million Indian students score in the top 15% of Grade 12 results. But only 200,000 are absorbed by the country’s most prestigious institutions. This leaves 1.5 million high-achieving students – who would otherwise seek degrees abroad – enrolling in regional institutes.
With over 12 million Indian students currently enrolled in higher education overseas, the new campuses offer a domestic alternative that provides internationally-recognised degrees without the geopolitical uncertainties or the high costs associated with living in the UK, US, or Australia.
The global lineup
The seven universities partnering with Eruditus represent a diverse range of academic excellence. Applications are already opening for several locations:
Illinois Institute of Technology (Mumbai)
University of Aberdeen (Mumbai)
University of Bristol (Mumbai)
University of York (Mumbai)
University of Liverpool (Bengaluru)
University of Victoria (Gurugram/Delhi NCR)
University of New South Wales (UNSW) (Registration of interest)
A future-ready curriculum
Scheduled to open doors in August and September 2026, the campuses will offer a phased roll-out of programmes. The curriculum is heavily weighted toward high-growth industries, including artificial intelligence, data science, game design, biomedical sciences, and financial technology, alongside traditional MBA and accounting degrees.
The academic delivery will be governed by the home universities’ frameworks, ensuring that a degree earned in Mumbai or Bengaluru carries the same weight as one earned in London or Chicago
The regulatory windfall
This expansion is made possible by recent reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the UGC’s 2023 framework, which paved the way for foreign universities to operate on-ground in India.
“Eruditus will manage the on-ground complexities, including campus operations and industry collaborations, allowing the universities to focus on faculty governance and research,” Damera said. “By selecting India’s primary tech and business hubs – Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Gurugram – the initiative ensures students are placed in close proximity to the global industries they aim to join.”