The University of Western Australia (UWA) has received a Letter of Intent from the Government of India, becoming the first of Australia’s prestigious Group of Eight (GO8) universities to be approved to establish an international branch campus in India.
The formal announcement was made over the weekend by India’s Union Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, and Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis. This milestone marks a significant step in strengthening global education partnerships under India’s National Education Policy 2020.
UWA will open its first campus in Mumbai, followed by Chennai, offering a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in STEM and business. These programs are designed to meet the aspirations of Indian students and address the needs of the global workforce.
UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Amit Chakma welcomed the approval, calling it a “milestone that reflects our shared commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and global collaboration.”
Group of Eight Chief Executive Vicki Thomson congratulated UWA on securing approval for its Indian campuses, calling it a significant milestone for regional collaboration.
“Huge congratulations to Amit Chakma and the team at The University of Western Australia for securing approval for branch campuses in India. These outcomes are never easy to achieve but are critical to our research and education partnerships in the region.”
The new campuses aim to foster student mobility, deepen industry partnerships, and support regional priorities across the Indo-Pacific. UWA’s expansion is also expected to bolster Australia–India ties through collaborative research, entrepreneurship, and digital innovation.
To support inclusive education, UWA has signed an MoU with Avasara Academy to offer full scholarships to academically gifted girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. Another key partnership has been formed with tech giant HCLTech to create innovation hubs across UWA’s campuses in India and Australia.
UWA Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Guy Littlefair said the collaboration with HCLTech would “connect academic research to real-world innovation,” benefiting students, start-ups and industries alike.
The branch campuses will uphold the same academic standards and quality frameworks as UWA’s Perth campus, ensuring Indian students receive a globally recognised education closer to home.
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