New Delhi: The Deakin University in Australia would be the first foreign university that would open its campus in India. The central government has reportedly approved the application for opening a campus of the Deakin University at the GIFT City in Gujarat. Australian Prime Minister Antony Albanese is likely to make the official announcement on 8 March at Ahmedabad.

Deakin University has been ranked at 266th spot at the QS World ranking. Besides, it has also found a spot in the list of top fifty young universities in the world. Deakin has also been placed between 250 – 300th position in the Times’ world ranking for higher education institutes.

The Deakin University that had submitted the application to International Financial Services, which is the parent agency of the GIFT city, aims to begin its operations in India by next year. In the initial stages, admissions would be only to the post-graduate courses. Currently, the university has four campuses in Australia. Around 60,000 students from over 132 countries study at these campuses.

There are reports that Wollongong University in Australia too has received approval for opening its campus in India. The University Grants Commission had published a draft framework allowing foreign universities to open their campuses in India.