India may soon get its tenth UK university campus, with the University of Sussex actively exploring plans to establish operations in the country. In an interaction with indianexpress.com, the university’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global and Civic Engagement, Robin Banerjee, said the institution is seriously considering setting up a physical presence in India.
An alumnus of the university himself, Banerjee said conversations around opening a campus in India have accelerated over the past year, although no final decision has been taken yet.
University of Sussex’s (UoS) interest comes at a time when several British universities are entering India under the NEP’s internationalisation mandate, with the University Grants Commission (UGC) playing a key role in granting approvals. So far, UK institutions, including the University of Southampton, University of Liverpool, University of York, University of Aberdeen, University of Bristol, Lancaster University, and Birkbeck, University of London, have either received Letters of Intent or announced plans to establish campuses in cities such as Gurugram in Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. Southampton has already commenced classes at its India campus.
However, unlike several foreign universities that have focused their India plans primarily on business, management, and technology programmes, the University of Sussex says it is considering a broader interdisciplinary approach anchored in research, humanities, and social sciences.
“Those are popular. There’s no doubt about it, because students and parents are looking at those and thinking these are pathways towards employment in industry,” Robin Banerjee said. “But we are looking much more broadly and trying to think about how we can create a more comprehensive offering by bringing in our strengths in the social sciences.”
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Referring to subjects such as psychology, sociology, and international development, Banerjee said these areas formed a core part of Sussex’s academic identity. He also shared that the university’s future strategy revolves around three broad themes: environmental sustainability, digital and data futures, and ‘human flourishing’.
While acknowledging the global push towards STEM education, Banerjee argued that an excessive focus on technology without equal attention to societal and human questions could deepen inequalities. “You could invest so much in technological development in a way that exacerbates global social inequalities,” he said. “You have to be thinking about societal dynamics. You have to be thinking about human wellbeing.”
Banerjee indicated that Sussex was also looking at a broader research and partnership ecosystem if it expands into India. “I think the whole ecosystem, including employment prospects and career development for students, depends on really good research intensity,” he said.
Banerjee suggested institutions needed to look beyond short-term demand for technology and management programmes toward the longer social and economic shifts shaping education.
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On the issue of making foreign degrees affordable, he said, “It can often be quite hard for parents in India to feel that they can send their children to other countries,” citing cost-of-living pressures and visa-related changes, including restrictions around dependent visas.
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“For some students, it might be too difficult. They may not have the resources or the support to be able to go abroad,” he added. “So then we’re thinking, how do we actually make sure that we provide that authentic Sussex experience for that pool of students?”
When asked about likely timelines for formalising steps to set up an India campus, he said, ‘When we say materialise, I don’t think anything will open this year.’ He added, ‘But in terms of making things like a concrete plan, I hope that will be something that we can do.