New Delhi [India], July 16 (ANI): Union Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, inaugurated the India campus of the University of Southampton in Gurugram, Haryana, on Wednesday, along with Nayab Singh Saini, Chief Minister of Haryana, the Ministry of Education said in a release.

Industries and Commerce Minister of Haryana Rao Narbir Singh; Lord Patel OBE, Chancellor and Member of the UK House of Lords; Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India; Mark E. Smith, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Southampton; Eloise Phillips, Academic Provost, University of Southampton, New Delhi; and senior officials of the Ministry of Education were also present on the occasion.

As per the release, the inauguration marks a significant milestone in India's higher education landscape, commemorating five years of the National Education Policy 2020. The University of Southampton, a QS Top 100 global institution and founding member of the UK's Russell Group, becomes the first foreign university to operationalise a campus in India under the University Grants Commission's (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations.

Speaking on the occasion, Pradhan said that this marks a momentous milestone towards the internationalisation of education in India under the NEP 2020, as well as towards strengthening the education pillar of India-UK cooperation, as envisioned in the India-UK Roadmap 2030.

Pradhan commended and congratulated the University of Southampton for setting up this state-of-the-art campus within a year of receiving the Loan. He expressed confidence that the campus, with its array of forward-looking courses and Southampton's legacy of academic excellence, will emerge as a distinguished institution that shapes leaders of tomorrow.

The Minister stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised that education is a living bridge between India and the UK, and today's gala opening of the University of Southampton's Delhi campus is an opportunity to further strengthen that bridge. Southampton University's campus in Gurugram will create new synergies, foster a new culture of curiosity and excellence, and offer students an additional choice to access world-class education at a more affordable cost, closer to home and family. He urged the University of Southampton leadership to start STEM courses at the Gurugram campus and added that this campus should aim to become a hub of solutions for global challenges.

Pradhan said that education has been placed at the heart of India's development. Through the internationalisation of education at home, India is being envisioned as a global knowledge destination, reviving its civilizational legacy and reigniting its intellectual heritage from Pushpagiri and Nalanda to Gurugram. He invited other leading universities from around the world to come to India to co-create ecosystems of innovation, research, and education, and stated that together, efforts should be made to build a bright future and drive innovation and progress.

The new Gurugram campus will offer globally recognised undergraduate and postgraduate programmes aligned with UK academic standards. Students may spend up to one year at the University's campuses in the UK or Malaysia. Programmes commencing in 2025 include undergraduate (BSc) courses in Computer Science, Economics, Accounting & Finance, Business Management, and postgraduate (MSc) courses in Finance and International Management.

Nayab Singh Saini, Chief Minister of Haryana, welcomed the University of Southampton to the state and reaffirmed the Government of Haryana's commitment to positioning the region as a global education and innovation hub.

Patel OBE, Chancellor of the University of Southampton and Member of the UK House of Lords, and Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, also addressed the gathering and expressed their strong support for expanding UK-India educational partnerships.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary, Higher Education and Chairman UGC, Vineet Joshi, warmly congratulated the University of Southampton and the UK Government on the opening of their pioneering campus in India, calling it a proud milestone in the India-UK education partnership. He highlighted that this is the first campus set up under the UGC's new regulations, which enable top foreign universities to establish branch campuses in India --a key reform envisioned under the National Education Policy 2020, as proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Dr. Joshi noted that NEP 2020 positions India as a global hub for education, research, and innovation, and emphasised that the UGC has created a streamlined, transparent process to facilitate such initiatives. Acknowledging the proactive support of the Haryana Government, he expressed confidence that the University of Southampton, with its legacy of academic excellence, will provide quality education in critical areas such as Computer Science, Economics, International Business, and Management, thereby contributing to India's priorities in digital innovation and global leadership. He concluded by expressing hope that the new campus would foster collaboration between Indian and international academia, becoming a beacon of excellence and a bridge between nations.

The first cohort at the India campus comprises academically accomplished students from across India and international locations, including the United Arab Emirates and Nepal.

The University is set to hire over 75 full-time faculty members who meet UK academic standards and will be expected to undertake the University's Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice. These faculty members bring experience from global academic centres in the UK, UAE, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Germany, Japan, and the United States.

The University of Southampton boasts a global alumni network of over 290,000 graduates, including more than 1,700 from India. Many of these alumni are expected to support the India campus by serving as mentors and industry ambassadors.

The University received its official Letter of Intent on August 29, 2024, followed by a public announcement and formal launch on September 13, 2024. (ANI)