Birkbeck, University of London is set to establish its first overseas campus in Bengaluru after receiving UGC approval, marking a major step in India’s push to attract global universities. The campus will offer University of London degrees at nearly 60% lower cost than in the UK while maintaining the same academic standards, with additional plans for scholarships and AI-integrated teaching. The move is expected to expand access to international education in India and strengthen India–UK higher education collaboration.
China has unveiled a significant package of reforms to its transnational education (TNE) framework, aiming to streamline approvals, expand institutional flexibility, and deepen global partnerships. The changes suggest a shift from controlled expansion toward more strategic, quality-driven international collaboration.
International branch campuses are often analysed as instruments of global higher education strategy. Less attention, however, has been paid to how students themselves arrive at the decision to enrol in them.
China’s international branch campuses are expanding rapidly, promising global pathways and English-medium degrees. But new evidence suggests they disproportionately serve urban, affluent students, with family income emerging as a decisive factor in access. Rather than widening participation, these institutions risk reinforcing existing inequalities within Chinese higher education.
