While a few foreign universities have accessed the dedicated UGC portal to review the application requirements for establishing campuses in India, Lincoln University College is the lone applicant thus far, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The Indian Express has learned that Malaysia’s Lincoln University College has become the inaugural foreign university to submit an application through the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) specialized application portal for establishing a campus in India. A five-member standing committee has been formed by the Commission to assess the university’s application and is expected to provide its evaluation soon.
During a session in the Lok Sabha on Monday, Subhas Sarkar, Minister of State for Education, disclosed that Lincoln University College of Malaysia has applied to the UGC for permission to establish a campus in Telangana.
“The UGC (University Grants Commission) has launched a portal for soliciting applications to establish campuses of FHEIs (Foreign Higher Education Institutions) in India. An application has been submitted by Lincoln University College, Malaysia, to establish a campus in Telangana,” he stated.
Although several foreign universities have explored the portal to understand the application criteria for establishing campuses in India, Lincoln University College is the sole applicant thus far, as per an official source.
Lincoln University College holds a ranking in the 301-340th position in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 and is also placed within the 301–400th band in the Times Higher Education World Rankings.
In November, the UGC notified regulations enabling foreign universities to independently set up and manage campuses in India, confer degrees, and determine admission procedures and fee structures.
As per the regulations, two or more universities can collaborate to establish campuses in India, provided each institution meets the eligibility criteria individually. Each foreign university can establish multiple campuses in India, but a separate application must be submitted for each proposed campus to the UGC.
Regarding the affordability of Foreign Higher Education Institutions (FHEIs) for Indian students, Sarkar mentioned that these institutions may offer full or partial scholarships based on merit or financial need, as well as tuition fee concessions to Indian citizen students.
“These regulations also include provisions to prevent misuse of charitable resources and ensure compliance with internal and external standards for charitable operations. Compliance with the provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, is also mandated for FHEIs to receive or utilize donations from foreign sources,” Sarkar added.
