Indian universities eye African expansion with planned branch campuses in Nigeria

Indian universities have revealed plans to establish international branch campuses in Nigeria as part of their latest internationalisation strategy.

This comes after a decline in the number of international students in India, ascribed to fewer career prospects for international graduates from Indian colleges compared to those in Europe and North America.

The National Education Policy (NEP) has increased efforts to internationalize the Indian educational system, including the January release of draft legislation allowing foreign institutions to establish themselves in India.

Indian universities are planning to open international branch campuses in various Asian, African, and Middle Eastern countries, including Nigeria, due to the opportunities present in these countries.

The large presence of the Indian diaspora population in these countries and India’s more than 1,000 universities, which offer diverse programs, including highly respected IT courses, are also factors.

Although there is still a lack of legislation and regulations permitting institutes to open branches abroad, a strategy is being developed to guarantee that the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) can create international campuses without contravening the law.

In addition, the move will give more Nigerians the opportunity to study technical degrees in well-established Indian universities without breaking the bank.