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International Centers of Overseas Universities in the Global South: Lessons from India

As Global South countries shift from "exporting" students to hosting international universities, a new mode of internationalization emerges. Using India as a case study, we explore the reasons and success factors behind establishing "international centers."

Published onSep 15, 2024
International Centers of Overseas Universities in the Global South: Lessons from India
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Countries of the Global South have been “exporting” students to universities abroad. Increasingly, there is more internationalization of overseas universities into the Global South countries that include activities such as research, public engagement, and working with governments. Taking India’s case, we explore an emerging mode of internationalization in the Global South by setting up “international centers” in host countries. We discuss the reasons for this and what makes such centers work.


Universities with global aspirations expand to other countries for accessing students in their home countries and carrying out teaching and research that are embedded in the local context. Although countries of the Global South have been key sites for recruiting international students, few universities have expanded their footprint by offering education programs in host countries through branch campuses (e.g., Monash University in Malaysia and New York University in Abu Dhabi). In India, although the regulation for overseas universities to establish campuses was passed only in 2023, overseas universities have had a presence much earlier by setting up “international centers,” although not with a focus on teaching but on research and related activities. International centers are gaining momentum as vehicles to internationalize and engage with countries of the Global South. For example, the University of Chicago has centers in Beijing, Hong Kong, New Delhi, and Paris. These centers allow overseas universities to become embedded in host countries and pursue diverse agendas while staying clear of the higher education regulatory environment. Several conditions explain why international centers have opened up and what makes them work in India.

International Centers of Overseas Universities in India

Before the 2023 regulation permitting overseas universities to establish campuses in India, they maintained an active “presence” in the country through the establishment of international centers. In contrast to India or South Asian studies centers that are in overseas universities, the international centers have physical space and resources in India, with a few of them even registered as independent entities. One of the earliest international centers in India is the Institute for the Advanced Study of India, set up by the University of Pennsylvania in 1997. There are now approximately 20 overseas universities that have centers in India, although they use different nomenclature to name the entities. These include centers by a consortium of Nordic universities, Cornell University, Columbia University, Indiana University, Harvard University, University of Cambridge, and University of Chicago. Besides these, a few overseas universities operate in India through partnerships with Indian universities like IIT Bombay-Monash University and the University of Queensland-IIT Delhi Research Academy. Further, a few centers like J-PAL South Asia by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Inclusion Economics India Centre by Yale University operate within universities in India.

The international centers aim to increase parent universities’ visibility, facilitate collaborative research, often in specific thematic areas, and work with local and national governments. Although the centers cannot offer degree-level programs, they work on a range of academic-related activities, such as data collection and analysis of research projects, research publications, and training programs, and nonacademic activities, such as liasoning, consultancy, and advocacy. Depending on their legal structure, the centers can raise funds in India and receive grants from international agencies and parent universities. In most cases, the centers have management and research staff that are locally recruited, whereas faculty members and leadership of the parent universities maintain oversight and get involved depending on the mandate, activities, and plans of the center.

Impetus for Setting up International Centers

Since the late twentieth century, Indian students have been a major portion of the international diaspora in overseas universities. Many of these students have returned to India, resulting in a large alumni base of overseas universities in India. For instance, the Harvard Business School alumni club has more than 2800 members from India, with many members now holding prominent positions. These alumni want to bring a part of their university to engage in India. The University of Chicago Center in Delhi was initiated by its alumni group, who became the university’s ambassadors in India. Likewise, the Tata Cornell Institute was established in India with a 25 million USD donation by Ratan Tata, a Cornell University alumnus from the class of 1962.

Another driver for establishing international centers is the quest of overseas universities to scale up and diversify research. India offers unique research opportunities, and a center can enable the research agenda of faculty members interested in such research. The J-PAL South Asia center in India, started in 2007, works as an experimental platform for MIT faculty members interested in studying India and supports them with resources and local expertise to overcome the challenges of doing research in uncharted territory. The centers serve as a base camp and a point of contact—a collaborator, enabler, and facilitator for the overseas university in India—and assist faculty members in initiating pilots, scoping studies, and conducting research.

Another key driver for opening centers is political emphasis on bilateral research collaborations resulting from India’s growing position in the geopolitical arena and the need for collaborative efforts to tackle global public challenges. Several government grants in Australia, European Union, and the United Kingdom are offered jointly with Indian funding agencies, with some requiring an Indian partner. Similarly, global foundations that fund research have increased their investments and focus on India. International centers function as a vehicle to identify and leverage these opportunities for their parent universities.

Host Country Factors Influencing International Centers

Several factors make India an attractive destination for establishing international centers.

First, there is a growing policy push for universities in India to internationalize and enhance their position in global rankings. The government has launched several schemes to support visits by overseas faculty members and conduct collaborative research with overseas universities. Universities and faculty members in India now actively seek collaborations with overseas universities that are facilitated by international centers.

The second condition pertains to the professional paths of graduate students in India. There is a dearth of research-oriented roles for graduates with masters and doctoral degrees, particularly in social science disciplines, in India. The international centers work as a perfect “pit stop” for these students to gain research experience, grow their network, and transition to doctoral programs or postdoc positions at overseas universities.

Thirdly, there is qualified professional staff available in India whom the overseas universities recruit to lead and manage the centers and projects. The center staff manages operational challenges, such as handling research grants, language barriers, and legal compliances, while parent universities maintain oversight and their academics stay focused on intellectual activities.

The Future of International Centers in India

International centers have been a prominent way for universities to internationalize in the Global South through research, outreach, and advocacy. The centers in India have played a key role in expanding their parent universities’ intellectual footprint and cocreating solutions through collaboration and partnerships.

The 2023 regulation for overseas universities to set up campuses in India has implications for international centers. More overseas universities in India may create an enabling environment for the centers by opening up collaboration opportunities and increasing competitiveness. Given the emphasis on research and outreach, international centers can create a distinct position that differs from the upcoming branch campuses. Whereas branch campuses can be about teaching and capability building in host countries by hiring domestic faculty, international centers can be about research and outreach through the expertise of faculty members and the alumni of parent universities.

For universities that already have international centers in India, the regulation offers an opportunity to expand by setting up a branch campus⎯a natural progression of these centers. A branch campus can help address some of international centers’ challenges, specifically around legitimacy and financial sustainability.


Nirved Kumar is a PhD candidate in innovation and management in education at the Ravi J. Matthai Centre for Educational Innovation, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India. E-mail: [email protected].

X: @Nirved_k

Debananda Misra is assistant professor at the School of Public Policy, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, India. He is also an honorary associate professor at the Institute of Global Prosperity, University College London, United Kingdom, and an affiliate of the Centre for Innovation Research, Lund University, Sweden. E-mail: [email protected].

X: @debmisra

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