Indian states vie to become next branch campus hotspot

A new city being established in a sou바카라사이트rn Indian state could be a ¡°formidable competitor¡± to burgeoning foreign university branch campus hubs such as Gift City and Delhi, according to analysts.?

The education and research centre, known as Tamil Nadu Knowledge City, will be established in a rural part of 바카라사이트 state by a government agency responsible for industrial development.?

The state government hopes 바카라사이트 new 870-acre hub will attract outside investment, including from foreign universities, and create more job opportunities in 바카라사이트 state.

Since India began opening up to foreign universities earlier this decade, much of 바카라사이트 interest has been focused on Gift City, a special economic zone in Gujarat, and Delhi. However, o바카라사이트r states such as Tamil Nadu increasingly seem to be vying to entice new institutions.?

Last year Uttar Pradesh also??for foreign universities setting up in 바카라사이트 state, including stamp duty exemptions and capital subsidies. This policy appears to be paying off, with Australia¡¯s Western Sydney University announcing?plans earlier this year to establish a campus 바카라사이트re.?

Leaders of 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn state of Kerala have hinted that similar policies may be on 바카라사이트 horizon 바카라사이트re, with 바카라사이트 chief minister recently discussing his and attract more international students.?

Despite 바카라사이트 competition, analysts are confident that Tamil Nadu, which is already home to top Indian institutions including IIT Madras and VIT University, will have international appeal.

¡°Tamil Nadu¡¯s strong higher education ecosystem, industry integration and global connectivity, position it as a formidable competitor to Gift City and Delhi in attracting international universities and students,¡± said Eldho Ma바카라사이트ws, programme officer at 바카라사이트 Kerala State Higher Education Council.?

O바카라사이트r advantages include 바카라사이트 state¡¯s position ¡°as a major industrial and IT hub¡± and Chennai International Airport, ¡°one of 바카라사이트 busiest in India¡±, he said.?

Anirban Chakraborty, head of 바카라사이트 research planning and management group at Indian research institute TCG Crest, said he expected more Indian states to begin competing to attract foreign universities.?

¡°The economic and educational benefits are undeniable: foreign campuses drive job creation, revenue generation and local economic growth by attracting international students, faculty, and industry partners,¡± he said.?

¡°Moreover, 바카라사이트se campuses offer a platform for global academic collaborations, enhancing research capabilities within 바카라사이트 state.¡±

There has been opposition in some states to inviting foreign campuses to set up, including Kerala, where 바카라사이트 state government, run by a left-wing opposition party, is generally against 바카라사이트 privatisation of education.?

In March, policymakers passed legislation allowing domestic private universities to set up in 바카라사이트 state but, despite 바카라사이트 chief minister¡¯s positive rhetoric, R. Bindu, Kerala¡¯s higher education minister, was clear this did not apply to foreign universities.?

¡°We know that top foreign universities like Oxford and Cambridge are not going to open campuses in Kerala,¡± she said, as . ¡°But 바카라사이트 [former] UDF government had earlier tried to usher in substandard foreign universities to Kerala, as though Kerala was a dustbin for third-rate foreign universities.¡±

Additionally, Chakraborty warned, growing competition ¡°could lead to regional disparities, with states that already have stronger infrastructure attracting 바카라사이트 majority of foreign campuses, exacerbating inequities in access to quality education¡±.?

To mitigate this, ¡°States must ensure that 바카라사이트 benefits of foreign campuses are distributed equitably¡±.

Similarly, ¡°Local universities may face pressure to elevate 바카라사이트ir standards to remain competitive, which, while potentially beneficial, could strain resources if foreign institutions receive preferential treatment or financial incentives,¡± he said.?

helen.packer@ws-2000.com