The UK-based Leeds Metropolitan University is setting up its first international campus in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The campus, being set up in association with JSWS, a non-profit making registered society in Bhopal which operates educational institutions, is the institution’s sole destination in South-East Asia.
Academic Director, Phil Clement, told Business Standard: “India is the largest centre with a huge population and potential for growth in all sectors of the economy. It is also a favoured destination in South East Asia as the citizens of this country can speak English well. Hence, we built this campus for exclusive delivery of the Leeds Metropolitan University courses and awards which is permissible under Indian law."
Clement added that with Leeds Met University's India campus, students will save around 70 per cent cost of studying the same degree at its campus in India as compared to the UK.
Leeds Met India, in its first year, will be offering undergraduate courses in the field of business studies, business and management, international business, international hospitality business management and retail marketing management. Except for the international hospitality business management courses, all the other courses will be for a duration of three years.
All students will get at least one semester of study time in the UK at Leeds Metropolitan University. In case of the international hospitality business management course, which is a four-year course, students will be studying two years on the India campus after which they will be going for paid placement of one year where they will have an opportunity to earn up to £10,000-15,000 to the UK and then study at the university in UK for one year.
The course fee for all the courses except International hospitality business management is Rs 8 lakh. The international hospitality business management course fee is over Rs 10 lakh. All the courses will have 30 seats each. The admission criterion for these courses is 60 per cent overall in 10+2 and 60 per cent in English language.
Clement believes that India with its huge population in the age group of 18-25 years has a vast potential. With the higher education gross enrolment ratio at about 12.5 per cent there is a need for growth in the infrastructure of the education industry. The growth expected in the next few years is very high and would certainly attract international players.