Institutions From UK, US, Australia To Establish Campuses; State Government Aims At Building Edu City In ‘Third Mumbai’

Navi Mumbai: The Maharashtra government plans to develop “Third Mumbai,” a new urban area near Navi Mumbai, aiming to establish an educational hub called Edu City to attract universities. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced this initiative at a US-India Business Council event in Mumbai, highlighting agreements with five leading international universities—three from the U.S., one from Australia, and one from the UK—whose details will remain undisclosed until formal approvals from the University Grants Commission (UGC) are granted.

A local consultant emphasizes Mumbai’s strategic position for hosting international campuses, but warns of challenges like pollution and traffic congestion. For the project’s success, enhancing accessibility for students and addressing issues of infrastructure and affordability are crucial. Although more UK universities might consider similar endeavors, they face obstacles like funding cuts and staffing shortages.

If environmental and infrastructure issues are effectively tackled, the establishment of “Third Mumbai” and Edu City has the potential to substantially enrich India’s higher education sector. Furthermore, while no formal agreements exist with U.S. universities yet, discussions between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump have indicated interest in supporting offshore campuses in India. The state government seeks to bring five of the world’s top universities to this burgeoning educational city.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the creation of Edu City in New Mumbai, highlighting a partnership with five globally ranked foreign universities. While he did not disclose their names, he mentioned that three are from the U.S., and one each is from Australia and the UK, during his address at the USIBC 50th Anniversary Summit. The establishment of urban satellite campuses from U.S. and UK institutions aims to provide a blend of global faculty, affordability, and quality, addressing the rising costs of studying abroad that have led to a projected 15% decline in Indian students pursuing education overseas by 2024.

Development Of ‘Third Mumbai’

A new development called Third Mumbai is emerging near the Navi Mumbai International Airport, set to open in May. This urban project will be located at the eastern edge of Atal Setu, the connector between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, and will be known as the Karnala-Sai-Chirner (KSC) New Town. This venture aligns with similar initiatives in other Indian cities, such as GIFT City and Gurgaon, where international institutions like Deakin University and the University of Wollongong have already established their campuses. In addition, the University of Southampton is slated to open its campus in Gurgaon by August 2025, under new UGC regulations for international branch campuses.