The Australian University of Western Australia (UWA) has received final approval to open a branch in the Indian city of Chennai. The university will be able to launch its second site in India less than a month after opening its campus in Mumbai! UWA has become the first foreign university to open a campus in the state of Tamil Nadu, the first Australian university, and the first member of the Group of Eight to receive approval to operate in Chennai.
Orientation activities for students at the Chennai campus started on October 5, 2026, with classes scheduled to begin on October 19. Already, the university is launching bachelor's degree programs in management, computer science, data science, and advanced computer science with AI. At the master's level, programs in information technology and business administration (MBA) are available. Notably, UWA focused on the city's economic specialization: Chennai is known for its development in information technology, manufacturing, and engineering industries.
Two campuses — and different specializations
UWA's first Indian campus opened in Mumbai on September 18, 2026: it marked the university's first venture outside Australia and the first time a Group of Eight member (the most prestigious universities of Australia) opened its own campus in India. The new campus occupies about 70,000 square feet and is located on the seventh floor of the One National Park building.
UWA intends to develop the two sites with the specifics of local economies in mind: while Chennai places emphasis on IT, manufacturing, and engineering, the Mumbai campus will be more business-oriented. According to UWA's forecast, by the end of 2026 the combined enrollment at the two campuses will grow to 200 students, and in the long term the plan is to increase the total number of students to 10,000 over the next decade.
An Australian degree will be available without leaving India
The core of UWA's strategy is the ability to combine studying in India with study periods in Perth, where the main campus is located: students will be able to spend 6 or 12 months in Australia as part of an exchange. This format will expand access to international education for students who find it difficult to pay for full-fledged study abroad. This will make it possible to link education with international academic and professional networks and strengthen cooperation in the Indian region, where technology and innovation are especially strong.
The development of the campuses is also accompanied by active expansion of partnerships with employers: in India these include HCLTech and Larsen & Toubro, with the Australian data center operator AirTrunk also joining in. UWA intends to develop internships, projects involving businesses, practice-oriented learning, and interaction between students and employers.
India is becoming an important market for foreign universities
UWA's expansion stands out even against the backdrop of the overall presence of international universities in India. In 2023, India's UGC introduced rules allowing foreign universities to open their own branches in the country, and the process has since moved ahead by leaps and bounds. The first foreign university was the British University of Southampton, but other universities are not far behind, developing or preparing projects in various Indian cities. So this is most likely not the last opening of an Australian campus in the region.
