The University of Liverpool’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tim Jones, has joined the UK government’s trade delegation to Mumbai, where he has met with Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Indian Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and other senior officials and business leaders from both countries.
The visit is an opportunity to celebrate the new University of Liverpool Bengaluru campus, which will be the first international campus in the city when it opens for its initial intake of students in August 2026.
Today (9 October) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sir Keir met with a number of UK Vice-Chancellors who have received permission to prepare to open international branch campuses in India. This provided an opportunity to celebrate the role UK universities will play in India.
The visit also provided opportunities to engage with Indian companies, representatives of the trade and commerce departments of the main Indian states, and UK government ministers including Peter Kyle MP, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, and Jason Stockwood, Minister of State for Investment. Professor Jones attended a session on science, technology and innovation led by Jade Leung, the Prime Minister’s AI Adviser, exploring opportunities for cross-country collaboration.
Other highlights included sessions at the flagship campus of Tata Consultancy Services, the largest Indian investor in the UK, where leading Indian business figures shared insights on trade and investment.
Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, said: “It was a privilege to hear from Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi about his plans for higher education and, importantly, the role he sees international branch campuses playing. This mirrors our vision for the University of Liverpool, Bengaluru and our plans to provide talented students with access to an exceptional learning experience and a range of fantastic opportunities.
“We also look forward to building on our research collaborations with NIMHANS, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, AIIMS Delhi/Jhajjar and companies such as Hindustan Unilever, AstraZeneca Pharma India, Wipro, Axis Bank and Dream 11. This provides a really exciting opportunity to collaborate and innovate in a range of research areas.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Our great British universities are admired all over the world for their teaching excellence, high-quality research and commitment to innovation.
“I’m delighted that more Indian students will be able to benefit from a world-class British education in the near future – strengthening the ties between our two countries while pumping millions back into our economy and supporting jobs at home.”
Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India, British Council said: “Becoming the first UK university opening a campus in Bengaluru, the University of Liverpool is taking a bold step in bringing UK higher education closer to students in India. We congratulate the University on this achievement and the recognition it has received. By bringing together academic excellence with innovative teaching and research, the campus will equip students with future-ready skills and foster new opportunities for collaboration across industries and disciplines.”
The University of Liverpool, Bengaluru will open for its first intake of undergraduate and postgraduate students in August 2026. Initial subject options will include Business Management, Accounting and Finance, Computer Science, Biomedical Sciences and, a first for UK campuses in India, Game Design, with a wider range to follow.
Students enrolling at the University of Liverpool, Bengaluru will benefit from the curriculum of a world-leading Russell Group University, enhanced support for enterprise and entrepreneurship, and global mobility opportunities. The new campus will also provide an exciting study abroad option for UK students.