CHENNAI: The University of Western Australia (UWA) will establish a 50,000 sq ft campus at DLF Cybercity in Chennai as part of a Rs 500-crore investment by the Western Australian government to set up two campuses in India.
The Chennai campus, slated to open in August 2026, will serve as the centrepiece of UWA’s expansion and aims to anchor a long-term Indo–Australian talent corridor.
UWA vice-chancellor Professor Amit Chakma said Chennai’s strong technology and research ecosystem made it the preferred location. “We chose Chennai not because it was the next city, but because it represents the future,” he told reporters on Thursday.
“By connecting Tamil Nadu’s strengths with Western Australia’s leadership in oceans, critical technologies and innovation, we are creating a platform for capability-building that will shape the region’s next decade.”
The new campus will focus on areas where regional priorities align, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, maritime sciences, MedTech, sustainability and defence-linked ocean technologies.
UWA aims to offer globally portable pathways into these industries, leveraging Chennai’s position as a top education hub anchored by IIT Madras and several leading private institutions.
The facility will open with an intake of 300 students, with annual fees expected to be around AUD 25,000. The university plans to host international students on the Chennai campus and begin operations with about 100 local staff.
Prof Chakma said international faculty may be brought in over time, adding, “maybe around 25%”. The university is targeting a 30% share of international students once the campus stabilises.
UWA’s move builds on its existing collaborations in Chennai, including work with SRIHER under the SPARC programme that uses AI and eye-tracking to reimagine dental radiograph education. It is also partnering on underwater domain awareness research through a 24-month DFAT–CSDR programme focused on anti-submarine warfare, uncrewed undersea systems and deep-sea sensing, strengthening Chennai’s profile as a coastal research hub.
Technology partnerships will play a major role in the new campus. A tie-up with HCLTech will offer global micro-credentials jointly developed in AI, cybersecurity, digital engineering and technology leadership, aimed at creating employability pipelines across India and Australia. The collaboration will culminate in the 2026 Indo-Pacific Innovation Hackathon with the Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce and India’s IT ministry.
The investment comes as Australian universities recalibrate their global strategies amid stricter immigration rules at home and increased competition for international students. India, backed by favourable demographics and the National Education Policy’s push to attract foreign universities, has emerged as the most sought-after destination for expansion.