Internationalisation of Higher Education

Aug. 8: To promote India as global study destination and Internationalisation NEP 2020 stipulates various measures, which inter alia includes facilitating research / teaching collaborations and faculty /student exchange with high-quality foreign HEI and signing of relevant mutually beneficial MOUs with foreign countries; encouraging high performing Indian universities to set up campuses in other countries; selected universities e.g., those from among the top 100 universities in the world will be facilitated to operate in India; setting up of International Student Office at each HEI for welcoming and supporting students arriving from abroad; counting credits acquired in foreign universities, wherever appropriate as per requirement for each HEI; and courses and programmes in subjects, such as Indology, Indian Languages, AYUSH systems of medicines, yoga, arts etc.

In line with the recommendations of National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, several measures have been initiated to strengthen Internationalization of the Higher Education, such as:

1. Guidelines on Internationalization of Higher Education were notified by UGC in July, 2021 that includes provisions like setting up of Office for International Affairs and Alumni Connect Cell in the campus of Universities hosting foreign students.
2. 179 Universities have established Office for International Affairs and 158 Universities have set up Alumni Connect Cells.
3. In order to foster academic collaboration between Indian HEIs and foreign HEIs, “University Grants Commission (Academic Collaboration between Indian and Foreign Higher Educational Institutions to offer Twinning, Joint Degree and Dual Degree Programmes) Regulations, 2022” have been notified on 2^nd May, 2022.
4. World-class foreign universities and institutions will be allowed in the GIFT City, Gujarat to offer courses in Financial Management, FinTech, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics free from domestic regulations, except those by International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to facilitate availability of high-end human resources for financial services and technology.
5. UGC Institutions of Eminence Deemed to be Universities Regulations have been amended to allow Institutions of Eminence to set up Off-Shore campuses. The amendment to existing UGC institutions of Eminence Regulations delineates terms, conditions and approval process for establishment of Off-Shore campus by institutions of eminence (IoEs) deemed to be universities.

The information was given by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Subhas Sarkar in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.