Deakin University Makes History With Inaugural Graduation At GIFT City, Ushering In A New Era For International Education In India

Ahmedabad: India took a decisive stride towards becoming a global education powerhouse on Monday as Deakin University conferred degrees to the first graduating cohort of its GIFT City campus, an event that signals the arrival of world-class international education within the country’s borders.

The ceremony, held on March 23, marks the first instance of students in India receiving an Australian university degree without travelling overseas, a development widely seen as a structural breakthrough under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The policy’s push to internationalise higher education is now visibly translating into institutional reality, with Deakin emerging as the first foreign university to establish a physical campus in India.

Presided over by Deakin Vice-Chancellor Professor Iain Martin, the landmark event was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel and Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Phillip Green OAM, reflecting strong bilateral endorsement of this academic partnership.

Describing the moment as “historic and catalytic”, Mr Patel said India is no longer merely a supplier of global talent but is fast becoming a destination for global education itself. He underlined that the presence of international universities in GIFT City is redefining access, allowing Indian students to obtain globally recognised qualifications at a significantly lower cost while remaining within the country.

Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Phillip Green OAM, characterised the graduating cohort as pioneers of a new educational frontier. “To be first is to accept uncertainty but also to claim opportunity,” he observed, noting that the students have secured a “prime mover advantage” in an evolving global knowledge economy. He urged them to remain intellectually agile in a world marked by rapid disruption.

Deakin Vice-Chancellor Professor Iain Martin described the graduation as a defining milestone in the Deakin–India partnership, emphasising that the model goes beyond conventional classroom learning. Students have benefited from an integrated, industry-linked curriculum, including direct engagement with global business leaders through masterclasses and applied learning modules.

The outcomes have been immediate and tangible. Several graduates have already secured placements with leading multinational institutions such as NAB, HSBC and India International Exchange (IFSC) Ltd, reinforcing the employability and global relevance of the programme.

Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Engagement) and CEO (South Asia), Deakin University, said the event demonstrates how policy vision is being converted into measurable outcomes. She noted that NEP 2020 has created an enabling framework for top-tier global universities to operate in India, thereby democratising access to international education.

As GIFT City positions itself as a hub not only for global finance but also for global academia, the Deakin milestone may well mark the beginning of a profound shift where India is no longer an exporter of students but a magnet for world-class education.