The University of Aberdeen is set to become the first Scottish university to establish a branch campus in India. As reported by PTI, it received a Letter of Intent from the Indian government and plans to launch its Mumbai campus by 2026, university officials confirmed today, Saturday, June 14.

The initial academic offerings at the proposed campus will include programmes in Computing and Data Science, Business Management, Economics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). An MBA programme will also be available, with plans for further expansion into areas such as Mathematics, International Business Management, Information Systems, Public Health, Film Studies, and Psychology.

“This approval marks a major milestone in our global engagement strategy,” said Siladitya Bhattacharya, Vice-Principal (Global Engagement) at the University of Aberdeen. 

“India, with its vast and youthful population, has long been a focus for us in terms of student recruitment, research collaboration, articulation partnerships, and alumni engagement,” he added.

Bhattacharya added that the Mumbai campus is envisioned not only as a centre for academic excellence but also as a hub for joint research and innovation with Indian partners. 

“By combining Aberdeen’s research strength with India’s innovation ecosystem, we aim to address global challenges and contribute meaningfully to India’s knowledge economy,” he said.

The University of Aberdeen, founded in 1495, is the fifth-oldest university in the United Kingdom (UK). It has a diverse student body representing over 130 nationalities and offers education and research across 12 schools. The university focuses on five interdisciplinary areas: Energy Transition; Social Inclusion and Cultural Diversity; Environment and Biodiversity; Data and Artificial Intelligence; and Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing.

Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India at the British Council, welcomed the announcement, calling it a significant development in UK-India education relations.

“This initiative reinforces our shared vision under India’s National Education Policy 2020 to strengthen higher education, research, and innovation on an international scale,” she said.