It is not enough to be simply replicating strategies from their home campuses, university leaders cautioned at The PIE Live India 2025 conference in Delhi.
“The challenge has been of course to bring what we do well in Australia to India within the Indian context. While Indian students who come to Deakin in Australia, adapt to and adopt the Australian style of teaching and learning, and campus life, in India, student expectations are different,” said Ravneet Pawha, vice president (global engagement) and CEO (South Asia), Deakin University.
“What we’ve learned over the past year is that simply bringing an Australian model here doesn’t always work – you have to adapt and find the right mix that resonates with Indian students.”
According to Pawha, with jobs becoming harder to secure, and the cost of education being higher than many Indian institutions, international institutions need to ask themselves what value proposition they are offering to Indian students.
While Deakin University became the first international university to establish a campus in India when it set up shop in GIFT City last year, UK’s Coventry University is following its footsteps by proposing a branch campus in Gujarat’s coveted central business district.
With over 25,000 students across its overseas campuses – a number expected to surpass its UK student population within the next decade – Coventry University’s deputy vice-chancellor (international), Richard Wells, believes that empowering students to pursue what works best for them is the key to success in India and globally.
“We believe in giving students the opportunity to study in different locations – it could be the UK, but it doesn’t have to be. I would love to see an Indian student go to Singapore, for example,” said Wells.
“In a world where education is global, and careers need to be as well, studying abroad shouldn’t be limited to just one destination.”
A witness to immense talent in tech and biosciences in India, especially in cities like Bangalore, Theo Farrell, president and vice-chancellor, La Trobe University, is particularly interested in how research can play a role in the relationship between Indian and Australian universities, which can help students.
The university founded the Asian Smart Cities Research Innovation Network in 2019, which has now a joint investment of over AUD $43 million.
The network now has prominent Indian universities such as Tata Institute of Social Sciences, IIT Kanpur, and BITS Pilani as partners, which according to Farrell can help address India’s challenges.
“While we are looking at expanding educational opportunities, we are also looking at how to do more. ASCRIN researchers play a crucial role in expanding possibilities—focusing on adaptable, sustainable student research and various innovative areas,” said Farrell.
“If you drive around India, you can see both the operational challenges and potential hazards firsthand, making this a truly two-way opportunity.”
Universities in New Zealand are also striving to contribute to solving India’s challenges, with University of Canterbury vice-chancellor Cheryl De La Rey emphasising the importance of aligning the island nation’s efforts with India’s goals.
“We are at a stage where we are exploring how a small country like New Zealand can build a meaningful relationship with India – one that drives economic impact, strengthens communities, and helps close inequalities,” stated De La Rey.
“The goal is to take the India-New Zealand relationship to the next level. What’s truly inspiring is India’s dynamism, diversity, and optimism – it’s what drives new opportunities and deeper collaboration.”
What’s truly inspiring is India’s dynamism, diversity, and optimism – it’s what drives new opportunities and deeper collaboration
Cheryl De La Rey, University of Canterbury
Established in 1961, and the first of the plate glass university generation in the UK, University of Sussex has been one of the early drivers in working with its partners in the Global South.
While the university already has a joint institution in artificial intelligence with Zhejiang Gongshang University with China, it sees a lot of potential in the Indian market.
“What I’ve realised is just how important it is to come to India and spend time here. At Sussex, we’ve been actively building partnerships with Indian universities and recently hosted an event in Mumbai for our partners. It was a great opportunity to articulate what we aim to do distinctively in India,” said Sasha Roseneil, vice-chancellor and president, University of Sussex.
India will also play a key part in 2035 strategy, a country Roseneil described as being “full of energy”.
“We are about to launch a new strategy looking ahead to 2035, centered on learning, sustainability, and progress for the world. Our focus is on human flourishing –through medicine, psychological well-being, the arts and culture, environmental sustainability, and digital data futures.”
Though Farrell highlighted that India’s stability geopolitically and nationally means that there’s a long term assurance on the quality of partnerships international universities are trying to build in the country, Wells warned that there is still a “risk of misalignment” that could impact meaningful collaborations.
“Right now, there’s a risk of misalignment, as some universities are entering India not necessarily with long-term engagement in mind, but as a response to financial pressures,” said Wells.
“Many have little prior experience in this space and may not fully understand the challenges and pitfalls involved.”
