India is set to bring world-class education to Africa by establishing campuses of its prestigious educational institutions across the continent. Talks are currently underway between India and Tanzania for the establishment of the first foreign campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in the East African country. It is expected that the campus will start its classes by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, the overseas campus of India’s National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) inaugurated in Jinja, Uganda last week by India’s foreign minister, Dr S Jaishankar.
Jaishankar highlighted the high demand for forensic science courses from students in Africa under various scholarships provided by the Government of India. He noted that one of the reasons for establishing the NFSU campus in Uganda was the high acceptance of the university among students from Africa.
“The National Forensic Sciences University is an institution of national importance and is the world’s first university dedicated exclusively to forensic sciences. It was established in Ahmedabad in Gujarat under the dynamic leadership of our Prime Minister,” said Jaishankar, emphasising the importance of the NFSU as an institution.
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The NFSU campus in Uganda is partnering with the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces, and will offer courses in forensic sciences, behavioral sciences, cyber security, digital forensics, and allied sciences while also promoting research in these areas. This marks the first time that a government university of India has opened a campus outside of the country.
Discussions for the campus have been ongoing between the NFSU and Ugandan authorities for some time, and the issue gained momentum when the President of Uganda wrote to the Indian Prime Minister Modi in August 2022. The Prime Minister immediately directed the concerned ministries to support NFSU on this proposal, paving the way for the inauguration of the transit campus in Jinja.
India has been a destination for higher studies for African students in the past, and the establishment of foreign campuses for top Indian universities/public technical institutes in Africa is expected to further strengthen educational ties between the two sides. The country remains among the top five destinations for African students traveling abroad for higher education.
The establishment of the NFSU campus in Uganda marks a significant milestone in India’s efforts to support educational capacities in Africa. The campus will immediately start its classes, while a permanent campus is established in Jinja soon under an MoU signed between the two countries. The NFSU currently has nine campuses in India, spread across Gujarat, Delhi, Goa, Tripura, Bhopal, Pune, Guwahati, Manipur, and Dharwad.
India’s efforts to bring world-class education to Africa are expected to have a far-reaching impact on the continent. With the expected establishment of the IIT campus in Tanzania and the NFSU campus in Uganda, India is helping to ensure that Africa has access to the best education opportunities and facilities available, paving the way for a brighter future for students across the continent.
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