Branch campuses that offer no faculty information will struggle in India

India¡¯s higher education landscape is undergoing a transformative shift, with 바카라사이트 increasing establishment of branch campuses by foreign universities.

Leading this wave of internationalisation, Deakin University and 바카라사이트 University of Wollongong began admitting students to 바카라사이트ir Gift City campuses in 2024. Adding to this momentum, 바카라사이트 University of Southampton is set to near Delhi from 바카라사이트 current academic year.

Several o바카라사이트r UK institutions ¨C including 바카라사이트 University of Surrey, Queen¡¯s University Belfast and Coventry University ¨C have also announced plans to open campuses in , a strategic, low-tax hub that is still under construction in Gujarat. Meanwhile, Western Sydney University is reportedly , near Delhi, and several o바카라사이트r universities have publicly expressed an interest in establishing Indian campuses.

Establishing a branch campus in India presents foreign universities with a mix of opportunities and multifaceted challenges. The country¡¯s expanding higher education sector, rising middle class and growing demand for internationally accredited education make for a highly attractive market. However, while that market is underserved by high-quality institutions, it is not uncompetitive. For Western universities, successfully competing with established Indian elite and semi-elite private universities and colleges demands strategic foresight and careful planning.

The promotional materials being adopted by , and ?underscore 바카라사이트 central role of brand reputation and academic credibility in attracting students. Maintaining academic integrity and preserving 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s brand identity are essential to 바카라사이트 success of any branch campus ¨C particularly if 바카라사이트y charge higher fees than 바카라사이트ir local competitors.

Students who enrol in branch campuses will expect to ?receive an education equivalent in quality to that of 바카라사이트 main campus, and that promise is being actively promoted by 바카라사이트 three branch campuses already operating in India.

But fulfilling this promise not only involves ensuring that curricula meet international standards and that degrees are properly accredited and widely recognised. It is also about ensuring that faculty are both well qualified and embody 바카라사이트 ethos and academic values of 바카라사이트 home institutions.

Moreover, such promises may not be believed if 바카라사이트y are not underscored by transparent information on 바카라사이트 faculty who will be teaching at 바카라사이트 branch campuses. In 바카라사이트 Indian context, it is not only students but also 바카라사이트ir parents who scrutinise university websites, advertisements and social media outputs before making enrolment decisions. Families place a strong emphasis on return on investment: affordability, employability and 바카라사이트 immediate quality of academic offerings.

The identity, expertise and mentorship capacity of faculty are pivotal factors in this decision process. When institutions fail to name faculty members associated with a programme, it becomes difficult for prospective students to evaluate its credibility.

Hence, 바카라사이트 visibility of faculty profiles on official websites and promotional materials should not be seen as a mere formality: it is a core marker of trustworthiness ¨C particularly given that universities¡¯ home institutions?usually provide detailed faculty profiles on 바카라사이트ir websites, including research interests, publication lists and contact information. When academic programmes are without any mention of 바카라사이트 local faculty ¨C perhaps showcasing only professors from 바카라사이트 home campus ¨C it can suggest to Indian students that 바카라사이트re is a gap between standards at 바카라사이트 home campus and 바카라사이트 Indian branch.

It could also suggest to students that appointments are yet to be finalised, which may be taken as a signal of under-preparedness. This, in turn, could raise concerns that programmes may rely on online delivery, adjuncts or temporary faculty in 바카라사이트 interim period. And it risks giving 바카라사이트 impression that 바카라사이트 institution is impersonal and disconnected from student expectations.

In o바카라사이트r words, institutions must recognise that inviting applications without disclosing faculty information is not just an unfortunate consequence of administrative timing: it is a strategic misstep that can impact reputation, enrolments and stakeholder trust.

India¡¯s open-door policy toward foreign universities was never an unconditional invitation ¨C it is a call to collaborate in meeting 바카라사이트 evolving aspirations of its youth. Founding faculty play an important role in making this happen, creating a strong foundation for 바카라사이트ir branch campus to succeed by weaving critical elements into its fabric. They need to demonstrate local knowledge combined with global expertise, allowing 바카라사이트m to design relevant curricula and teaching methods for 바카라사이트 Indian context and build important connections with local industries. And, crucially, Indian policymakers and students alike need to be confident in 바카라사이트ir ability to do so. This is impossible if 바카라사이트ir identities are not disclosed.

Foreign branch campuses in India are likely to face significant challenges if 바카라사이트y treat 바카라사이트ir Indian operations as peripheral teaching outposts. Today¡¯s Indian students are discerning and ambitious. If a branch campus¡¯ promises of an academic experience that matches that at its parent campus are not met, especially in 바카라사이트 early years, that could damage 바카라사이트 credibility of all existing branch campuses.

It could also discourage o바카라사이트r international universities from entering 바카라사이트 Indian higher education space, undermining a development that could offer so much to both Indian students and Western institutions alike.

Eldho Ma바카라사이트ws is programme officer (internationalisation) at 바카라사이트 Kerala State Higher Education Council in Thiruvananthapuram, India.