UGC notifies rules for setting up foreign educational campuses in India, invites suggestions

In line with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, the Guidelines on Internationalisation of Higher Education in 2021, which included provisions like setting up an Office for International Affairs and Alumni Connect Cell in the Universities, have been notified, the UGC said in a release.

However, the programmes offered under these regulations will not be allowed in online mode, it said.

NEP 2020 has envisioned that "top universities in the world will be facilitated to operate inIndia." For this, "a legislative framework facilitating such entry will be put in place, and suchuniversities will be given special dispensation regarding regulatory, governance, and contentnorms on par with other autonomous institutions of India," it said.

A regulatory framework allowing the entry of higher-ranked foreign Universities will provide aninternational dimension to higher education, enable Indian students to obtain foreignqualifications at affordable cost, and make India an attractive global study destination, the UGC said.

The guidelines, called, "University Grants Commission (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023," aim to facilitate the entry of foreign higher educational institutions into India, it said.

"These regulations shall regulate the entry and operations of Foreign Universities/Institutions in India to conduct undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, post-doctoral, and other programmes and award degrees, diplomas, and certificates in all disciplines," the UGC said.

No Foreign Higher Educational Institutions (FHEIs) will be allowed to set up campuses in the country without the approval of the UGC, it said.

The foreign educational institution should be within the top 500 of overall / subject-wise global rankings, as decided by the Commission from time to time, in its home jurisdiction, it said.

The foreign institute has to ensure that the quality of education imparted by it in its Indian campus is at par with that of the main campus in the country of origin, the release said.

The qualifications awarded to the students in the Indian campus shall be recognised andtreated as equivalent to the corresponding qualifications awarded by the FHEIs in the main campus located in the country of origin, the UGC said.

The comments/suggestions/ feedback from all stakeholders on the draft regulations may be sent to ugcforeigncollabration@gmail.com up to January 18, 2023, it said.