Former VCs say UGC move to allow foreign university campuses good, but cumbersome

The Forum of Former Vice-Chancellors of Karnataka (FVCK) has stated that while it endorses the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) decision to allow foreign universities to set up campuses in India, the processes highlighted are cumbersome.

FVCK stated that the decision would be beneficial for students from lower income backgrounds to pursue education, despite not being able to afford foreign education, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express. Meanwhile, they also stated that this would help facilitate faculty exchanges and upgradation of current local universities. However, the forum said the processes underlined by the UGC in the draft UGC (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023, may put off foreign universities.

“While we completely endorse the decision, the procedures must be laid out in a more streamlined manner to allow universities to set up their campuses in the country. It must be ensured that all state governments are intimated properly so that they can give their full support to these universities,” Prof K Narayan Gowda, FVCK Vice-President told TNIE.

Meanwhile, he added that issues like funding, land and collaboration with local universities must also be discussed. “There should be good collaboration between foreign and local universities so that there is an interaction, wherein, our universities are able to learn from the foreign universities to be able to improve their standards. This will help ensure that our universities reach a global standard,” he said.

In this regard, FVCK said that a deliberation will be held in mid-February with current VCs and education experts to put forth a set of recommendations to the draft regulations to ensure that they are more refined and pose little to no hassle for high-profile universities looking to set up campuses in the country.