Deakin’s graduation gives glimpse into future HE landscape

As India pushes to become a global study destination, Australia’s Deakin University, the first foreign university to establish an international branch campus in India, has held the first graduation ceremony at its GIFT City Campus in Gujarat.

The milestone provides a first indication of how foreign university campuses could change the country’s higher education landscape.

The inaugural graduation on 26 March, involving 46 graduating students, marks a crucial milestone in India's internationalisation journey under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which encourages top foreign universities to establish operations in the country. Deakin University is ranked among the top 1% of global universities.

Since welcoming its first cohort in July 2024, Deakin’s Indian campus has become a hub for “academic excellence and industry-aligned learning”, according to a press statement issued by the university.

Currently, the campus offers postgraduate programmes in business analytics and cybersecurity.

The statement said that as India advances its ambition to become a global education and talent hub and Australia strengthens its engagement through a long-term institutional presence, the inaugural graduation marks the beginning of a new chapter in how international education is conceived, delivered, and experienced.

The graduating students became the first in India to earn a globally recognised Australian university degree while completing their entire education within the country.

Until now, earning an international degree required Indian students to relocate overseas,” Ravneet Pawha, vice-president (global engagement) and CEO (South Asia) for Deakin University, told University World News.

“This development is significant and aligns with India's ambition to become a global education hub. By enabling high-quality foreign institutions to operate locally, India can retain talent, attract international students, and strengthen its academic ecosystem.

“Campuses like GIFT City also show how education can align with high-growth sectors, enhancing India's appeal as a study destination,” Pawha said.

Contemporary learning model

Unlike any graduation ceremony previously held in India, the occasion brought the full Australian university experience to Indian soil.

Traditional Australian academic regalia, ceremonial protocols, and institutional customs were observed in their entirety.

The Deakin GIFT graduates have experienced a contemporary learning model that departs from traditional formats, combining an industry-integrated curriculum, applied and assignment-based pedagogy, international academic systems, and structured engagement with global industry leaders through master classes and mentoring.

With employability embedded in the courses, many students already have placement success with multinational organisations, according to the university.

“This milestone signals a structural shift, even though its full impact will take time. For the first time, international degrees are being delivered in India with the same standards, governance, and quality assurance as global campuses, marking a move from outbound mobility to in-country global education.

“However, real transformation will depend on scale, consistency, and outcomes over time,” according to Pawha.

Rahul Choudaha, professor and chief operating officer at the University of Aberdeen, Mumbai, told University World News that building an institution of excellence is a complex undertaking involving multiple stakeholders, different cultures, and varying regulatory environments, and it requires time and sustained commitment.

“With partnerships and patience, these international campuses will gradually expand their engagement and impact. At this stage, they remain in their infancy and will be modest in terms of direct student enrolment, but they will begin to widen choices for students,” he said.

Parliamentary panel’s suggestions

While India pushes to become a hub for international education, a parliamentary panel in India, led by Congress lawmaker Digvijay Singh, has emphasised the need for stringent regulations for and proper oversight of foreign institutions setting up campuses.

In its “demands for grants of the department of higher education for 2026 to 2027” presented to parliament on 18 March, the panel stated that it should be mandatory for institutions to reinvest a fair share of their profits within India.

The panel suggested that periodic reviews be made mandatory to assess the quality of education, fee levels, and whether students from diverse backgrounds are receiving opportunities.

Last year, the panel flagged the need to accelerate reforms to attract top foreign universities to India. The key findings and recommendations of the report were tabled in the Upper House of the Parliament in April last year.

“The Committee notes that in recent years, there has been a notable trend of foreign universities establishing campuses in India, which is driven by the country’s vast student market and the government's efforts to increase collaborations and joint degrees.

However, India is yet to secure a campus from any of the leading global universities, including the Ivy Leagues, New York University, Carnegie Mellon University, etcetera,” stated the report.

Dual-degree programmes

Federal Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said earlier this month that the NEP 2020 has permitted international campuses to be set up in India and has enabled foreign higher education institutes to collaborate with Indian institutions to offer dual degrees.

It has also encouraged cross-border student exchanges so that Indian students can gain exposure to education systems in developed and other countries while international students can also experience India's education system.

Goyal was speaking at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conclave on “Reimagining Internationalisation of Higher Education for Viksit Bharat 2047 (Developed India 2047)” in New Delhi on 6 March. The minister noted that there is now a need to encourage students from developed countries to study in India.

He suggested models such as a three-year programme where students could spend one year in India and two years in their original institution, or split their time equally between both institutions.

According to Goyal, such dual degree programmes would help students from developed countries understand how developing countries think, work, and engage with culture and society.

He expressed hope that in the coming years the present ratio of 28 Indian students going abroad for every one international student coming to India would be reversed and that India would attract around 1.3 million foreign students to study in its institutions while only a small number of Indian students go abroad.

The minister called for greater collaboration between academia, government and industry to realise the vision of internationalising higher education and transforming India into a global education destination by 2047.

Students seek global experiences

Experts say that foreign campuses can serve as a complement to – rather than a substitute for – education obtained abroad, as many students still seek global experiences and employment opportunities.

“International campuses are opening up a new set of choices that was never previously available to Indian students. International campuses neither replicate nor replace the immersive experience offered by mobility.

“Instead, they offer something unique to a growing segment of students who want to pursue global degrees at home. The arrival of international campuses – at a time when the mobility of Indian students is facing deceleration – opens a new set of choices for students seeking global learning,” said Choudaha.

Pawha noted that while foreign university campuses mark an important step, their long-term impact will depend on the broader ecosystem in which they operate.

“For foreign campuses to have meaningful and sustained impact, they must be supported by enabling structural conditions. This includes stable and clear regulatory frameworks, strong industry integration through internships and co-designed programmes, and greater academic flexibility such as joint degrees and credit mobility.

“It also requires robust research and innovation ecosystems, along with active faculty and talent exchanges to ensure global standards are consistently delivered,” Pawha added.