Malaysia’s Lincoln University College has made history by becoming the first foreign university to apply through the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) dedicated application portal to establish a campus in India, as revealed by The Indian Express. The UGC has formed a five-member standing committee to review the university’s application and is expected to provide its assessment soon.
During a session in the Lok Sabha, Union Education Minister of State Subhas Sarkar disclosed that Lincoln University College from Malaysia has submitted an application to the UGC for establishing a campus in Telangana. This move follows the UGC’s initiative to invite applications for Foreign Higher Education Institutions (FHEIs) to set up campuses in India.
Despite several foreign universities exploring the application requirements on the portal, Lincoln University College stands as the sole applicant thus far. Renowned for its academic standing, the university ranks between 301-340th in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 and holds a position within the 301–400th band in the Times Higher Education World Rankings.
The UGC’s regulations, announced in November, facilitate the establishment and operation of FHEI campuses in India, granting them autonomy to confer degrees and determine admission procedures and fee structures. These regulations allow for collaboration between two or more universities to establish campuses, provided each institution meets the eligibility criteria individually. Each foreign university can propose multiple campuses in India, subject to separate applications to the UGC for each proposed location.