Mumbai: With over 1070 universities currently operating in India, Deakin University in Australia is the first foreign university to be granted permission by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to establish a campus in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT city).
The University Grants Commission issued new regulations in October that allows international institutions to build offshore GIFT city campuses and repatriate profits in a variety of courses, including financial management, science, technology, engineering, and STEM subject areas. In addition to Deakin University, the University of Wollongong will also establish a campus, subject to clearance.
In an interview with the Free Press Journal, Ravneet Pawha, Vice-President of Global Alliances and CEO for Deakin University Australia's South Asian region, discussed the plans ahead.
Ravneet Pawha – Vice-President (Global Alliances) and CEO (South Asia), Deakin University Australia |
When are you planning to launch the Campus in the GIFT city?
The target to set up the campus goes live with the academic programmes no later than July 2024. Deakin University will start inviting applications from the end of 2023 and will also start recruiting faculty mid-2023 onwards.
How will Deakin University distinguish itself from other Indian universities?
With many educational institutions both public and private operating in India, Deakin University still promises to deliver a unique, value proposition which will set it apart. Having a proud history of engagement in India spanning almost three decades with an ‘in India, with India, for India’ approach, these are few things that will set apart Deakin University with other Indian universities:
Strong industry orientation, skilling and employability enhancement.
High-demand professional courses with global standards at competitive prices
Cadetships or research projects and diverse opportunities to intern
Delivering courses targeted for industrial, skilled manpower needs
Cutting-edge infrastructure
Semesters abroad & option to migrate to campuses in its home country.
How many different kinds of courses will Deakin University offer?
To begin, two Postgraduate Courses will be offered to students at the Deakin University International Branch Campus at GIFT City which are – Masters in Cybersecurity and Business Analytics.
Both these courses are very much in demand and address emergent work areas in the industry scope of India and Deakin aims to deliver its trademark high quality of education at par with global standards with focused industry orientation.
How affordable will courses be?
The university plans to start with a student strength of 50-60 students per course and gradually raise that to nearly 100 enrollments. While the tuition fee is yet to be finalized, it is estimated to be half of what Deakin charges on its campuses in Australia. While maintaining the same standards of education, course delivery and more, Indian students can access global education right here and at a competitive rate.
What about internship opportunities?
The USP of the courses offered by Deakin will be “cadetships” which are research projects and internships which will be available through its partnership with industries. Deakin University will also give students the option to migrate to campuses in its home country for a Semester.
Will Indian students get Australian work opportunities as well?
The students finishing their postgraduate degree from Deakin’s campus in GIFT City will not have the benefit of a post-study work visa in Australia but there will be some advantages while seeking a job opportunity overseas. Students can seek work visas as skilled migrants.
We have partnered with HSBC, Infosys, TCS, Xebia and HCLwhich are some of the top global financial and insurance firms where the students can be absorbed into the digital economy.
Any plans to include programmes in liberal arts and other fields as well?
We are now focused on offering courses with a strong industrial orientation, but when demand for such courses develops, Deakin will scale its activities and knowledge offering in response to the needs and desires of India's emerging educational and economic ecosystem.
Why do you believe Indian students would choose to study at a foreign campus in India?
A lot of students at the undergraduate level are desirous of a 360-degree student experience which includes a global and multicultural learning and campus experience for which studying at the campuses in Australia is more suitable.
Postgraduate students on the other hand stand more to gain from professional courses, industry interfacing and employability/job readiness. For them a chance for enrolling in courses that are targeted at industry relevance within the country along with advantages while seeking a job opportunity overseas would prove advantageous. When these students apply for their visas, they get ease and advantage from having a degree from an Australian University which helps the application process.
Many employers have more confidence while sponsoring the work visas for their employees when they have a globally accredited degree.
Will Deakin University get faculty from Australia?
In terms of faculty, about 80 percent of them will be engaged in India while about 20 percent will be staff who will come from Australia. The engaged faculty from India will be supported to come to Australia once every 12-18 months so that they have a chance to learn from what is happening in Australia but also for the Australian colleagues to learn from what is happening in GIFT City.
Will Indian students be provided accommodation facilities?
As far as student’s accommodations go, Deakin University is committed to ensuring a quality student experience by working with stakeholders at GIFT City to facilitate and ensure accommodation, infrastructure and other commercial requirements that may arise.
