Chennai, Mumbai campuses of University of Western Australia to be operational by 2026

NEW DELHI: The Mumbai and Chennai campuses of the University of Western Australia are set to be operational from August 2026, and a high-level delegation from the university is in India to engage with the government and state agencies, and create an ecosystem of partnerships with Indian institutions, officials said.

The University of Western Australia (UWA), Perth, has received the University Grants Commission's (UGC) nod to establish multiple branch campuses across India, with the hub to be set up in Mumbai.

The UWA, one of the world's top 100 universities, will become the first Ivy League-equivalent institution and the first from Australia's prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities to set up a campus in India.

"India, home to the world's largest youth population with over 371 million people aged 15 to 29, is a digitally native, entrepreneurial and globally connected generation driving innovation and growth. With one of the world's most vibrant startup ecosystems, India is translating research into real-world impact," Guy Littlefair, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (education and student experience), UWA, said.

"UWA's expansion is designed to harness this energy, learn from it, and contribute to it through world-class research, teaching, and industry partnerships. By establishing campuses in Mumbai and Chennai, India's hubs of innovation and growth, we are embedding UWA at the heart of the nation's future," Littlefair added.

The university will launch its first campus in Mumbai followed by one in Chennai. Both campuses are expected to be operational by 2026.

The visit of the delegation led by Littlefair aims to advance plans to establish the campuses, engage with the government and state agencies, and create an ecosystem of partnerships with Indian institutions, industry leaders and business communities.

Recent initiatives of the UWA in India include partnerships with the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) to promote engagement in health and medical science through internships and immersion experiences; Avid Sports to build pathways in sports science, business, and high-performance disciplines; and HCLTech to integrate industry-led innovation models into UWA's academic offerings.

"UWA's upcoming India campuses are also envisioned as hubs for innovation and entrepreneurship. These sites will host startup launchpads, collaborative research centres, and cross-border incubation programmes fostering bi-national ecosystems that bring together researchers, students, and industry partners from both India and Western Australia.

"Through its School of Earth and Oceans, UWA is collaborating with premier Indian institutions to advance research in sustainable mining, renewable energy, climate change, and ocean science," Littlefair said.