Ravneet Pawha, VP, Global Engagement, and CEO, South Asia, Deakin University, in a message to the Education Minister, called for formulating a new law that allows foreign universities to establish campuses within Indian university spaces, fostering collaboration and cross-cultural learning.
Speaking at the NDTV World Summit, Pawha said such initiatives would create "campuses within campuses", where Indian and international institutions can work together, blending academic strengths and diverse cultures into true melting pots of learning.
"Such partnerships won't just blend academic strengths but also bring together diverse cultures," she said.
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Pawha emphasised that the future of higher education should move beyond traditional degree models to well-rounded, skill-based programs that prepare students for a global, dynamic workforce.
Watch the video here:
#NDTVWorldSummit | "Building India's capability is building the capability for the world" : Ravneet Pawha (@PawhaRavneet), VP, Global Engagement, and CEO, South Asia, Deakin University@GargiRawat #NDTVWorldSummit2025 pic.twitter.com/pyeyrApvpe
— NDTV (@ndtv) October 18, 2025
She outlined key areas for focus treating collaboration, curriculum, and culture as most essential to foreign universities functioning in India. Pawha urged bringing global curricula to India in ways that are contextually relevant, emphasising cooperation between foreign and Indian institutions.
She highlighted that while many universities are already working in India, efforts should be expanded to make quality education accessible beyond elite circles.
It's important to build foreign universities within Indian ones for cross-cultural engagement, stating that merging Indian and global educational cultures could shape the youth for a globalised world.
"Building India's capability is building the capability for the world. With 1.6 billion people, many eager to learn and make a change, training is absolutely imperative," Pawha said.
Universities must move beyond merely awarding degrees and focus on developing programs that cultivate real-world skills, global perspectives, and holistic development.
