Deakin University at GIFT City starts admission process, to charge Rs 10.7 lakh per annum for masters courses

Source:  The Indian Express

Deakin University, the first international university to set up a campus at GIFT City in Gandhinagar, has commenced the admission process for its postgraduate programs starting in July 2024. The Australian university announced that it will charge an annual fee of Australian Dollars (AUD) 19,000, approximately Indian Rupees (INR) 10.7 lakhs, for its two-year master's degrees offered at the GIFT City campus.

The admission announcement was made on Tuesday during the visit of the high-profile Australian delegation to Gujarat, led by the country's Education Minister Jason Clare. Deakin University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Iain Martin stated that the admissions will remain open until March 31, 2024, for the maiden batch. The university aims to leverage the business-friendly ecosystem of GIFT City to offer industry-focused specialized master's programs in cyber security and business analytics.  

Prof. Martin emphasized that while the Deakin GIFT City campus will have the Australian pedigree, it will imbibe the local Indian culture. Students will study the same Deakin curriculum but can expect cross-cultural experiences. Eventually, the university envisions exchange programs between its Indian and Australian campuses.

The 25,000 sq. ft. campus, scheduled for inauguration in January 2024 likely during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, will provide global exposure blended with Indian values. As per estimates, the cost of living for students will be around INR 2.5 lakhs annually, nearly half compared to Deakin's Australian campuses.

Meanwhile, the University of Wollongong announced it will start seeking applications from January 2023 for its maiden postgraduate computing program focused on data analytics at GIFT City, beginning July 2024. It aims to spur more women in the fintech domain by launching scholarships and global collaborative initiatives.

The Australian universities underscored that foreign campuses in India perfectly align with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020 which emphasizes internationalization to create a globally connected education system. With such premier institutions housed in GIFT City, India can become an attractive global education hub.