University of Surrey to open branch campus in India’s GIFT City

The campus will be delivered in collaboration with GUS Global Services (GGS), in Gujarat’s GIFT City, India’s special economic zone, where institutions are free from the regulations that govern the rest of the country.

The two entities will work to combine the university’s teaching and research provision in business, international finance, computer science, cyber-security – all areas aligned with the strategic vision of GIFT City – and GGS’s “proven capabilities as a strategic partner for higher education providers”.

All teaching and academic assurance will be delivered and led by University of Surrey staff. Ancillary services, such as strategic advice on India entry, student enrolment, campus establishment and operations management, will be provided by GGS.

In a statement announcing the partnership, the university specified that plans for the campus are at “an advanced stage of pre-delivery”. Next steps are contingent on regulatory approval from Gujarat’s International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) under the International Branch Campus Regulations, in place to position GIFT City as an Indian hub for international higher education providers.

“The University of Surrey campus at GIFT City will be a shining example of British education excellence and impact, contributing to transnational education in a more globalised world,” said Lu Max, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Surrey.

“We are proud and excited to be a part of the GIFT City story, where we’ll combine India’s strengths in the global financial sector with the University of Surrey’s academic and teaching competencies in business, finance and computer science,” he added.

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“Students can look forward to a world-class education delivered at the heart of a thriving new international finance and technology powerhouse for the region. Together we’ll be contributing to the skills and growth agendas of both our countries.”

The announcement was made on the sidelines of the QS India Summit 2025 in Goa on January 28 with Surrey and GGS representatives travelling onwards to GIFT City on January 31 for meetings set to to accelerate progress on the project.

Sharad Mehra, CEO of Global University Systems (GUS) Asia Pacific said the initiative “seeks to expand world-class academic standards and global learning experiences available in India”.

“It will offer Indian students the opportunity to access transformative education without leaving the country. The collaboration aligns with India’s higher education goals, such as improving global competitiveness, offering world-class education locally, and contributing to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s emphasis on internationalisation.”

Surrey follows in the footsteps of Australian institutions Wollongong and Deakin, already having established campuses in GIFT City. More recently, it was revealed that the University of Coventry and Queen’s University Belfast are also expected to set up respective branch campuses there.

In August 2024, it was announced that the University of Southampton is set become the first UK university to be granted a licence by the Indian government to create a branch campus in the country, with plans to set up outside of the special economic zone, at the International Tech Park in Gurgaon. 

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