Maharashtra Hands Over LOIs To 5 Global Universities For Navi Mumbai EduCity; Talks On With 5 More

Mumbai is set to become home to India’s first international education hub as the state government on Saturday handed over University Grants Commission's (UGC) Letters of Intent (LoIs) to five global universities for establishing full-fledged campuses in Navi Mumbai. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during the 'Mumbai Rising: Creating an International Education City' event, in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, diplomats, top officials, and university representatives.

The five universities—University of Aberdeen and University of York from the United Kingdom, University of Western Australia, Illinois Institute of Technology from the United States, and Istituto Europeo di Design from Italy—will set up independent campuses across 250 acres ‘EduCity’ near the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport. These institutions will award their own degrees and are expected to begin operations within the next 18 to 24 months

Fadnavis said this landmark initiative, driven by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, will allow Indian students to access world-class education at a fraction of the cost of studying abroad. “Our students will get global education here at one-fourth the cost. Navi Mumbai is being developed as an EduCity, with 10 international universities planned. The vision is to transform Mumbai into a centre of global learning, alongside its existing identities of finance and entertainment,” he said. Talks are currently underway with five more reputed foreign universities, he added without revealing the names

He emphasised that affordability and accessibility were major hurdles for Indian students aspiring to study abroad, and this move would address both, while also conserving foreign exchange and contributing to the development of a global-ready workforce.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan noted that nine international universities are currently in the process of setting up campuses in India, with six more in the pipeline. He highlighted that Indian institutions like IITs and Symbiosis have already begun opening campuses in Africa and the Middle East. “This marks a new phase of internationalisation in Indian education,” he said, calling NEP 2020 a game-changer.

Each of the five universities will bring niche expertise to the Indian landscape. The University of Aberdeen, the first Scottish university to open a campus in India, already collaborates with over 200 Indian institutions. The University of Western Australia, ranked among the world’s top 100, will offer STEM courses aligned with industry needs. The University of York will bring programmes in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and creative industries. Illinois Tech will offer degrees in engineering, computer science, and business, and will introduce its experiential ‘Elevate’ programme. IED will focus on fashion, product design, and visual communication.

Fadnavis also announced a collaboration between Gondwana University and the University of Western Australia in the mining sector. The event included remarks by UGC Chairman Vinit Joshi and CIDCO MD Vijay Singhal, and was attended by senior diplomats and university leaders.