The University of Western Australia (UWA), one of the world’s top 100 universities, is set to open its first Indian campuses in Mumbai and Chennai by August 2026 — becoming the first institution from Australia’s prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities to establish a presence in India.

A high-level UWA delegation, led by Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Experience) Professor Guy Littlefair, is currently in India to finalize partnerships with government agencies, universities, and industry leaders. The move follows the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) approval for UWA to open multiple branch campuses across the country, with Mumbai serving as its primary hub.

“India, home to the world’s largest youth population with over 371 million people aged 15 to 29, represents a powerhouse of innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Littlefair. “UWA’s expansion is designed to harness this energy and contribute to it through world-class research, teaching, and industry collaborations.”

The Mumbai campus will open first, followed by Chennai, both envisioned as centres of innovation and cross-border collaboration. UWA plans to integrate startup launchpads, collaborative research centres, and incubation programmes to foster bi-national ecosystems uniting Indian and Australian talent.

In recent months, UWA has stepped up its India engagement through key partnerships — including collaborations with the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) to advance medical science training, with Avid Sports to strengthen sports science and business pathways, and with HCLTech to bring industry innovation into its curriculum.

Through its School of Earth and Oceans, the university is also partnering with premier Indian institutions to expand research in sustainable mining, renewable energy, climate change, and ocean science.

“By establishing campuses in Mumbai and Chennai — India’s engines of innovation and growth — UWA is embedding itself at the heart of India’s future,” Littlefair said.