University of Bristol to open first overseas campus in Mumbai

By Katy Goodall, News Subeditor

The new expansion is set to open in the summer of 2026.

The Mumbai Enterprise Campus will be Bristol’s first international campus and will welcome students next summer, just in time for the university’s 150th anniversary.

Initial courses will focus on data science, finance and investment, economics and immersive arts, later expanding to business and management, computer science and AI. The new campus is designed to strengthen Bristol’s international connections and make science education more accessible and diverse.

Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol, Evelyn Welch, said the new campus would help Bristol become ‘a top 50 global university’.

The announcement was made in New Delhi on July 29, at a celebration of the fifth anniversary of India’s National Education Policy 2020. Vineet Joshi, the Indian Honourable Secretary of Higher Education and Chairman of the University Grants Committee, presented Professor Evelyn Welch with a letter of intent.

Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol, shakes hands with Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, India’s Minister of Education / the University of Bristol

At the event, Prof Welch said, ‘We are absolutely delighted to announce our intention to create a new campus in Mumbai, which marks a pivotal transformation in our 150-year history and a powerful, globally inclusive future we’re proud to build in partnership. Developing an in-country base has long been part of our international strategy and supports our ambition to be a top 50 global university.’ The University of Bristol is currently placed 51st in the QS rankings.

Over the past year, India’s University Grants Commission has granted permission to the universities of Liverpool, York and Surrey for Indian campuses.

According to a press release, The Mumbai Enterprise Campus will mirror the University of Bristol’s expansion towards Temple Meads train station, aiming to ‘bring together industry, academics, students and local community partners.’

The Mumbai campus aims to strengthen the university’s long-term sustainability and resilience. Professor Michele Acuto, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement at the University of Bristol, said, ‘This is far more than a new location; it’s a purposeful extension of our vision to meet our learners and communities where they are, and to do so with respect, integrity, and deep local engagement that sets us apart as a global civic institution.

‘We will do so from day one together with our local partners, to co-create a campus that stands as a global gateway connecting with the vibrant energy and innovation of Mumbai where business, technology and arts converge – reflecting and amplifying the international vision, interdisciplinary strengths and outward-facing spirit of our home institution. We look forward to sharing more detail on these exciting plans over the coming months as they develop.’

Other renowned UK universities have global campuses, such as the University of Nottingham, Coventry University and University of Birmingham in China and Malaysia, France and Dubai respectively.

As well as offering prestige, overseas campuses offer overseas students more affordable opportunities to study at British universities and strengthen research and business links. The UK Overseas Campus Network, which represents 18 British universities with international campuses, says they are ‘boosting the reputation of UK higher education and innovation around the world.’

However, some academics fear that international campuses cannot provide the same level of income as bringing international students to the UK – and can be expensive to set up.

Featured Image: Unsplash / * Sid Saxena *