India's educational landscape is on the cusp of transformation as NEP 2020 invites a host of foreign universities to set up campuses here. This influx is anticipated to generate 400+ faculty roles, opening the door for Indian scholars based overse...
As over a dozen foreign universities race to plant their flags in India under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the hunt for academic talent has begun, with more than 400 faculty positions expected to open in the coming years.
The expansion is also creating opportunities for Indian academics overseas to return home, including current and former faculty at foreign universities facing challenges such as geopolitical tensions and job losses.
“Considering the number of students studying at these campuses in India, it is expected that these branch campuses will attract close to 400-450 faculties in the next 2-3 years,” said Sahil Gupta, partner at Deloitte India.
A total of 15 foreign university licences have been issued by the University Grants Commission, with five more approved in GIFT City, Gujarat, he added.
Institutions that are operational or setting up campuses in India include Deakin University, University of Wollongong, University of Southampton, University of Liverpool, Illinois Institute of Technology, Queen's University Belfast, University of Bristol, University of York, University of New South Wales, University of Aberdeen, Victoria University and Lancaster University.
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“Given the global uncertainties, tense geopolitical conditions and cost pressure-led restructurings at some institutions, this opens up new avenues for foreign-based Indian faculties to teach and research in India with at-par global systems,” said Gupta.
Lindsay Oades, provost and professor of wellbeing science at the University of York-Mumbai, told ET that the university is recruiting talent from India and overseas while also facilitating faculty exchanges from its home campus.
"We are hiring individuals from India and overseas, as well as offering some secondments from the University of York, with the aim of creating a campus that is rooted in the learning and research environment of York but has a truly global feel,” Oades said.
Most institutions are expected to appoint senior leadership such as provosts and deans from their home campuses, while the bulk of faculty hiring will focus on Indians based in India or overseas, experts said.
For international faculty of Indian origin facing visa issues in the West, the expansion offers an opportunity to relocate, said Ashwin Damera, CEO and co-founder of Emeritus and Eruditus, which is assisting some universities in setting up campuses in India.
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“Each of these universities is looking at hiring at least five Indian-origin teaching faculty outside India,” he said.
The University of Liverpool’s Bengaluru campus is also looking to hire a mix of Indian and global faculty. “We would look at global faculty as well, from India as well as leading universities across the globe,” said Anil S Kumar, COO, University of Liverpool-Bengaluru.
The university is adopting a hiring strategy that includes talent from leading institutions in India as well as universities in Europe, the US and Australia.
In addition to teaching roles, these campuses are recruiting administrative staff such as registrars, librarians, CFOs, IT and finance personnel.
Faculty from home campuses are also expected to teach in India for a semester or longer. “In a rough ballpark number, I am sure there will be about 30% or so faculty coming from our home campus itself, especially for niche programmes,” said Kumar.
Akshay Malhotra, COO at University of York-Mumbai, said the university is focusing on more than just pay to attract and retain faculty.
“Compensation, however, is only one part of our broader strategy to attract and retain outstanding faculty, which also includes a supportive academic environment, a strong emphasis on work-life balance and opportunities to pursue cutting-edge research in their chosen areas,” Malhotra said.
