Malaysia’s Lincoln University College became the first foreign university to apply through the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) dedicated application portal to set up a campus in India, The Indian Express has learned. 

The Commission has set up a five-member standing committee to examine the university’s application and is likely to give its opinion soon. 

Answering a question in the Lok Sabha on Monday, the Union Education Minister of State Subhas Sarkar said that Malaysia’s Lincoln University College has applied to the UGC to set up a campus in Telangana.

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“The UGC (University Grants Commission) has opened the portal for inviting applications for setting up campuses of FHEIs (Foreign Higher Education Institutions) in India. An application has been received from Lincoln University College, Malaysia, for setting up a campus in Telangana,” he said.

Although a few foreign universities have logged into the portal to study the application requirements to set up campuses in India, Lincoln University College is the only one that has applied to date, an official told The Indian Express.

Lincoln University College is ranked in the 301-340th in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023. The university is also placed in the 301–400th band in the Times Higher Education World Rankings.

Paving the way for foreign universities to set up and operate campuses in India with complete autonomy, grant degrees and decide the admission processes and fee structure, the UGC in November notified the regulations for setting up and operating campuses of FHEIs in India.

As per the UGC, two or more than two universities can collaborate to set up campuses in India, provided each institution meets the eligibility criteria individually. Each foreign university can set up more than one campus in India. However, they shall make a separate application for each proposed campus to UGC.

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Further responding to a question on the affordability of FHEIs for Indian students, Sarkar said these may provide full or partial merit- or needs-based scholarships and offer tuition fee concessions to students who are Indian citizens.

“Safeguards against misappropriation of philanthropic resources, non-compliance with internal and external standards for philanthropic operations have also been incorporated in these regulations. These regulations stipulate compliance with the provisions of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, for FHEIs to receive or utilise donations from any foreign sources,” Sarkar added.