The University of Aberdeen has taken a major step forward with its expansion plans after getting a green light from India’s University Grants Commission to move ahead with a new Mumbai campus, set to open in September 2026.

If the plans go ahead, Aberdeen Uni will become the first Scottish university to open a branch campus in India, with the hope of building on existing partnerships with more than 200 Indian universities and research centres including the Indian Institutes of Technology, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, and Delhi University. 

Aligned with India’s National Education Policy 2020, Aberdeen’s proposed campus would initially offer programmes in computing and data science, business management, and artificial intelligence.

Early plans also involve a future expansion into mathematics, international business management and information systems, which the university called strategic areas where Aberdeen and India share common priorities.

A follow-up second phase would see Aberdeen University aim to establish a research and innovation office on the proposed new campus to expand research collaboration and industry partnerships in critical areas such as AI, energy and life sciences, setting the new campus up to be what the university called a ‘hub for academic excellence and global problem-solving.’

“The proposed campus aims to empower students, accelerate joint research with Indian partners and contribute to India’s dynamic knowledge economy,” said Professor Siladitya Bhattacharya, vice-principal for global engagement at Aberdeen. 

“By combining the University of Aberdeen’s research expertise with India’s innovation ecosystem, this initiative aims to tackle global challenges while enabling student exchange, faculty collaboration and industry-led innovation.

“We are looking forward to collaborating with our Indian partners to bring this vision to life and further bolster ties between Scotland and India through education and research.”

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After being granted a Letter of Intent at a special ceremony in Mumbai, Aberdeen Uni’s proposal will now go to its governing body for approval next month.

The business case for the new campus will be watched closely, following news in April that Aberdeen University was facing an £11.2 million budget gap, with plans to freeze recruitment, pause promotions and revisit voluntary redundancies.

University officials claim it has been hit hard by the Chancellor’s increases to National Insurance Contributions, which would see its extra running costs estimated to reach £4.7 million, pushing Aberdeen further into the red.