The University of Liverpool has become the latest member of the UK¡¯s Russell Group to announce plans for an Indian branch campus.

Liverpool confirmed on 26 May that the Indian Ministry of Education had been granted permission to open the first foreign university branch campus in Bengaluru. The outpost is due to welcome its first intake of undergraduate and postgraduate students in August 2026, with courses on offer expected to include business management, accounting and finance, computer science and biomedical sciences.

Liverpool also proposes to offer degrees in computer game design ¨C a first for a UK campus in India ¨C with a wider range of programmes to follow.

At a launch event in New Delhi, senior leaders said that they planned to conduct a wide range of research at the Bengaluru campus, and also described it as a study-abroad opportunity for Liverpool¡¯s British students.

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Tim Jones, Liverpool¡¯s vice-chancellor, said that the university was ¡°excited to be developing plans to play our part¡± in the development of Indian higher education.

¡°We look forward to providing talented students with access to an exceptional learning experience and a range of fantastic opportunities to develop their skills and employability,¡± Jones said.

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¡°We are also committed to embedding a strong research culture to the benefit of industry, the region and the wider world.¡±?

Liverpool becomes the fourth Russell Group member to announce plans for an Indian branch campus, following the University of Southampton, which is opening an outpost on the outskirts of Delhi later this year; Queen¡¯s University Belfast, which is targeting Gujarat¡¯s Gift City; and the University of York, which has received approval to open in Mumbai.

Other UK higher education institutions have announced similar plans since India opened the doors to branch campuses, with both Coventry University and the University of Surrey eyeing Gift City, a special economic zone free of the tax regulations?that apply elsewhere in India.

Earlier this month, Illinois Institute of Technology became the first US university to receive approval to operate in the country, while several Australian universities have campuses in the works too.

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Liverpool, for its part, already has strong links in Bengaluru?and the state of Karnataka, including with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, the Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru and companies such as Hindustan Unilever.

Tariq Ali, Liverpool¡¯s pro vice-chancellor for global engagement and partnerships, said: ¡°This new campus is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen and deepen our ties with India, creating exciting opportunities for greater collaboration in education and research, connecting business and innovation ecosystems and opening up the potential for wider benefits to our respective regions and cities.¡±

Liverpool¡¯s existing offshore operations include Xi¡¯an Jiaotong Liverpool University, established in 2006 in partnership with Xi¡¯an Jiaotong University, which is regarded one of the most successful joint venture universities in China.

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com