With the first cohort of Deakin’s India campus graduating at GIFT City this week, university officials expressed hope that Australian students will study there in the near future — a vision first proposed three years ago through a mobility deal between the two countries.
While around 16 students from the graduating batch, who began in July 2024 and were pursuing postgraduate programs in business analytics and cyber security (professional), travelled to Australia as part of their program, Deakin is keen to see this happen in reverse through a trimester, allowing students to spend a term at the GIFT campus.
“As we grow, there’s nothing stopping an Indian student from going to Australia for a trimester. What we really hope is that it will happen the other way around, with Australian students coming here for a trimester,” Iain Martin, vice-chancellor, Deakin University, said during a press meet on the sidelines of its first convocation ceremony held at the GIFT City Club.
“As opportunities grow, particularly with a large Indian diaspora in Melbourne and Victoria, we expect more students to come and study here.”
While details around the timeline are awaited, there has been encouragement from the Australian government to facilitate its students studying in India in recent years.
In 2017, around 890 undergraduates were offered support to study and undertake work placements in India under the New Colombo Plan, with the Australia-India Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement also promoting two-way mobility between the two countries, with students and researchers at the centre.
Plans for student exchange come as Deakin expands its India campus, with new programs in AI and finance, alongside locally tailored short courses, set for the upcoming cohort.
The courses would range from six weeks to three or six months, with credits contributing towards future graduate certificates and degrees at the GIFT campus.
“We are now working with the regulator and have three courses in a variety of areas, including technical short skills and applied technology,” stated Martin.
“They will largely be dictated by what employers need for their workforce, as many are looking to upskill staff and understand AI implementation in insurance, finance and banking, so the courses will be focused in those areas.”
Moreover, while there are no immediate plans to introduce undergraduate programs at the campus, the university is weighing up its options.
“With 5,000 new jobs, a railway line coming in and other universities arriving, the GIFT ecosystem is evolving, making it more viable to consider an undergraduate experience,” the VC said. “Are we starting next year? No but we will continue to consider it, ensuring students have a strong overall experience, not just in the classroom.”
We started with a very Australian model, with a slightly more liberal approach to self-directed learning, but learned the need to include a more Indian experience — a blend of Indian and Australian strengths
Iain Martin, Deakin University
According to Deakin officials, 60–65% of the graduating cohort have secured jobs, with top salaries reaching AUD$114,000 (around £57,000) at parity – about $20,000 higher than the equivalent in Australia. Most students are staying in India, while one of the students secured a role in the UAE with a package of INR 52 lakh (over £41,000).
“The fees are roughly half the cost of the same degree in Australia, and with a much lower cost of living in Gujarat compared to Australia, the return on investment stacks up pretty well,” stated Martin.
As Deakin looks to ensure strong employment outcomes for students at GIFT, aligning programs with industry needs remains a key area of focus — an issue The PIE News has highlighted as one international branch campuses (IBCs) are “trying to move fast on”.
“We will place a greater focus on company relationships, partnerships and placement services, as we have learned this is different between India and Australia. Students often see exams as everything, but employers tell us that exams are just the entry point, it’s the other skills that get you the job,” said Martin.
“We started with a very Australian model, with a slightly more liberal approach to self-directed learning, but learned the need to include a more Indian experience – a blend of Indian and Australian strengths.”
With the introduction of the Australia–India Future Skills Initiative and AIESC meetings, the focus is also now on merging job opportunities between Australia and India, with approved Australian branch campuses in India set to play a significant role.
“The new partnership seeks to match the skills provided by Australian universities in India with those required by Australian companies operating there, of which there are around 150,” Australian high commissioner to India, Philip Green, told The PIE.
“The Australian government is working to align student outcomes with job opportunities, linking the output of Australian universities in India with roles in the Australian business environment.”
As more IBCs enter GIFT, particularly from the UK and Australia, Deakin sees “healthy competition” driving quality and the growth of facilities such as sports clubs and restaurants.
But how IBCs will coexist with established Indian universities, while retaining quality faculty, with nearly 30% of sanctioned teaching positions remaining vacant across the country, is something institutions like Deakin’s GIFT campus are closely watching — where around 70% of its curriculum is taught by professors hired in India.
“Collaboration with the local ecosystem is key, and students have multiple options – through a two-plus-two pathway with our hubs, direct entry, or an international branch campus – all with the same rigour and degree outcome. It’s really about the choice the student makes based on their own criteria,” stated Ravneet Pawha, vice-president (global engagement) and CEO (South Asia), Deakin University.
“We do know that there are a lot of people returning back to India, so I think there is a good chance for foreign universities and for Indian universities to look at hiring some of those academic staff.”
