HYDERABAD: Hyderabad is set to host offshore campuses of US-based Northeastern University and the UK’s University of London as the Telangana government seeks to position the city as a global hub for higher education, research and skilling.
The two institutions have expressed interest in setting up their first offshore campuses in India in Hyderabad, according to a report submitted to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy by a high-level committee on Monday, following the Telangana Rising delegation’s recent visits to the UK and US.
Northeastern is exploring a campus at Bharat Future City, while the University of London, a federation of 17 independent institutions, has also indicated its willingness to establish a campus in Hyderabad. Harvard University has agreed to conduct executive education programmes in Hyderabad for senior government officials, public representatives and corporate professionals through the Dr MCR HRD Institute, with the programmes expected to begin in November.
The initiatives are part of the government’s plan to develop Hyderabad as an international centre for higher education, research and skilling, leveraging its strengths in IT, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, industry and defence.
The developments follow the Telangana Rising delegation led by Revanth and IT Minister D Sridhar Babu to the UK, and an officials’ delegation to the US, from August 19 to 29. The delegations held discussions with senior representatives of Oxford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge University, London School of Economics (LSE), School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), Imperial College London and London Business School.
LSE and SOAS are expected to send teams to Telangana to explore offshore schools, course offerings, industry interaction, new teaching models and faculty deployment in Hyderabad. Oxford University is expected to explore shared research centres and centres of excellence, while Virginia Tech will work with Telangana on industry-aligned and future-ready learning frameworks.
The government said the partnerships would bring faculty from leading international universities to Hyderabad to offer specialised higher education and executive programmes.
Hyd as global hub may boost jobs: Sridhar
The committee said the government also plans to strengthen the education and skilling ecosystem from school to higher education, while expanding ITIs, polytechnic colleges and skills universities. Telangana Public Schools and the Young India Sports University are among the initiatives proposed as part of the expansion.
Receiving the report, Revanth said the international partnerships would support Telangana’s goal of becoming a
US$1 trillion economy by 2034 and a US$3 trillion economy by 2047. He said he would personally lead a task force to ensure students and youth in the state have access to world-class education and skills.
Sridhar said a global knowledge hub in Hyderabad would help attract more multinational companies and global capability centres (GCCs) to Telangana, create jobs and accelerate growth.
Officials said a dedicated track on partnerships with global educational institutions and sports development would be held during the Invest Telangana Global Summit from December 7 to 9.