UK Universities Expand into India Amid Domestic Pressures
UK universities are increasingly turning to India as a key growth market, establishing branch campuses and partnerships to offset challenges at home. This expansion comes amid ongoing domestic pressures in the UK, including efforts to reduce net migration, tighter visa rules for international students, and financial strains on many institutions from declining onshore enrollments. By setting up in India, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing higher education markets, British universities can diversify revenue, reach students locally, and maintain global influence without relying heavily on inbound migration.
The trend gained significant momentum in late 2025 and continues strongly into 2026. The University of Southampton became the pioneer, opening its Delhi campus (in Gurugram) in August 2025 with an initial cohort of around 120 students in limited courses. It plans major growth over the next decade, aiming for up to 5,500 students. Other prominent UK institutions are following suit, with nine British universities approved or in advanced stages to launch campuses across cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, and GIFT City in Gujarat.
This move aligns with India’s National Education Policy 2020 reforms, which allow top-ranked foreign universities to establish branch campuses, and the strengthened India-UK bilateral ties under the 2025 relations reset, including a free-trade agreement and reciprocal high-level visits. The UK government has actively supported the expansion through trade missions and its new International Education Strategy (released in early 2026), which prioritizes offshore growth in key markets like India to boost education exports toward £40 billion annually by 2030.
For Indian students, these campuses offer UK-accredited degrees without the need to relocate abroad, lower costs, no visa hurdles, and access to familiar environments. Programs often focus on high-demand fields like business, management, STEM, computing, and analytics. For UK universities, it’s a way to tap India’s massive demand for higher education (with projections needing tens of millions more places) while navigating home policy uncertainties around international student recruitment.
Key UK Universities Expanding in India
- University of Southampton – Operational since 2025 in Gurugram (Delhi NCR), expanding rapidly.
- University of Surrey — Planning a new campus in GIFT City, Gujarat, with a focus on future-oriented disciplines.
- University of Bristol – Mumbai Enterprise Campus set to welcome first students in summer 2026.
- University of Liverpool – Bengaluru campus approved, intake planned for 2026–27.
- University of York, University of Aberdeen, Lancaster University – In advanced discussions or approved for Mumbai and other locations, with launches expected in 2026 or soon after.
These developments reflect a broader global trend, as traditional host countries face migration limits, transnational education (TNE) and branch campuses become vital alternatives. The UK aims to maintain its position as a leading education exporter while supporting jobs and investment at home through global partnerships.
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Netherlands Sees Third Consecutive Year of Declining International Student Enrolments
The Netherlands is experiencing a continued downturn in international student numbers, marking the third straight year of decline. New data released in February 2026 shows that first-year bachelor’s enrolments at Dutch universities fell by around 3.4% overall for the 2025/2026 academic year, with international students seeing a drop of 3.6%. This trend affects both domestic and foreign intakes, but the reduction among international students, particularly from other European (EEA) countries, at 4.4%, stands out as the most visible.
Universities of the Netherlands (UNL), the umbrella organization for research universities, released the figures this week. Total new bachelor’s students numbered approximately 56,000, down from previous years. International bachelor’s intake specifically declined to around 19,440 new students, compared to higher numbers in prior cycles. The drop is steeper than some projections and compounds existing concerns about overall student numbers, which are expected to fall by nearly 10% over the next decade according to education ministry forecasts.
Several factors contribute to this shift. Universities have scaled back active international recruitment efforts in recent years. Government and institutional measures to manage inflows, such as limits on English-taught programs, stricter requirements, and efforts to address housing shortages, have also played a role. More young people are choosing gap years, and some programs (like ICT and certain tech fields) have seen reduced interest, while others, like teacher training, have grown slightly. The decline is no longer viewed as a future risk but as a current reality, with UNL chairman Caspar van den Berg noting it “undermines our science, innovation and economy” if unaddressed.
Hopes now rest on the new coalition government’s planned talent strategy, seen as a potential turning point to balance controlled growth with attracting skilled talent. Non-EEA undergraduate enrolments remain relatively stable, suggesting the sharpest falls are among European students who previously favored the Netherlands for its accessible, high-quality programs.
For prospective international students considering the Netherlands in 2026 or beyond, this trend highlights a more selective environment. While top programs in engineering, sciences, and other shortage areas continue to attract applicants, overall competition for spots may ease in some fields, but visa and housing policies remain key factors.
Sources:
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/facing-pressures-home-uk-universities-set-up-india-2026-02-12
https://thepienews.com/netherlands-sees-third-year-of-falling-international-enrolments
https://www.dutchnews.nl/2026/02/new-international-student-numbers-fall-for-third-year-in-a-row
