UNSW Sydney will open its first overseas campus in Bengaluru in 2026, marking a major step in Australia–India education ties and offering Indian students access to a global top 20 university degree without leaving the country.
The new campus comes at a time when demand for higher education in India continues to outstrip available places. UNSW Bengaluru will operate under India’s National Education Policy 2020, which allows leading international universities to establish branch campuses to strengthen education quality and build a skilled workforce.
The announcement was made in New Delhi by Australia’s Federal Education Minister Jason Clare at a ceremony hosted by India’s Education Minister, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.
“Education is one of Australia’s biggest exports. And it is not a one-way street. It’s not just about students coming here. It’s also Australian universities coming to them,” Minister Clare said.
“This is a great example of that. UNSW coming to India will create the highest-ranked university in the country. It will open up new opportunities for young people in India and bring our two countries even closer together.”
Minister Pradhan welcomed the move and confirmed his support for the campus opening in 2026.
“I am very happy to welcome UNSW to India; to watch the emergence of new connections between Indian and Australian students, academics and industry, to help realise India’s vision to be a global destination for education, knowledge creation and innovation from which all of society can benefit,” he said.
UNSW Sydney Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs has visited the future campus site at Manyata Business Park in Bengaluru. He described the project as a key step in expanding the university’s global presence and access.
“Education is one of the most powerful forces for global progress. The UNSW community strongly values the contribution students and faculty members from India make to our classrooms, laboratories, campuses and partnerships in Australia. And we are very excited to now make our world-class education more accessible to Indian students who can now study locally at a comprehensive education and research UNSW campus at Bengaluru,” Professor Brungs said.
He said the campus would directly address India’s unmet demand for tertiary education while maintaining the same academic standards as UNSW in Australia.
“UNSW Bengaluru will increase the number of available tertiary places in India, where there is a large and growing unmet need for higher education. Moreover, it will enable Indian students for the first time to study at a global top 20 university campus in India. Graduates will receive the same UNSW qualifications as they do in Australia, valued by employers and academic institutions across India and internationally,” he said.
Reflecting on the university’s history, Professor Brungs said UNSW’s approach in India would continue its long-standing focus on anticipating future needs.
“We will continue this commitment in India to support its development of a globally competitive workforce, as this wonderful country emerges as a world leader in research and innovation,” he said.
The Bengaluru campus is expected to deepen academic, industry and research links between the two countries, while reshaping access to international education for Indian students at home.
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