Deakin University's GIFT City Campus in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, has welcomed its third cohort of students, marking a significant milestone in the university's 32-year engagement with India. As the first international university branch campus in India, Deakin has evolved from a pioneering initiative into a proven model of global education delivered locally. In just over two years, the campus has welcomed three student cohorts, celebrated its first graduates, completed its inaugural placement cycle, and built an ecosystem of over 60 industry partners.
Third Cohort Reflects Growing Trust
The latest cohort has enrolled in Deakin's globally recognised postgraduate programmes in Business Analytics and Cyber Security, designed to support India's rapidly growing digital economy. The cohort features equal representation of male and female students and includes enrolments from across the country, led by Gujarat. This diversity reflects growing trust in Deakin's GIFT City Campus and the increasing appeal of its innovative education model.
Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Engagement) and CEO (South Asia) at Deakin University, stated: "Welcoming our third cohort is much more than an enrolment milestone. It demonstrates that international education can successfully combine global quality with Indian relevance. That is the vision of NEP 2020, and the vision Deakin has been committed to delivering from day one." She added: "For over 32 years, Deakin has worked alongside India as a trusted education and knowledge partner. Today, our GIFT City Campus is helping build the future-ready talent and industry capability that will power India's knowledge economy."
Industry-Integrated Learning Experience
Located in India's premier international financial and innovation hub, the GIFT City Campus offers students an industry-integrated learning experience that combines academic excellence with real-world exposure. Students engage directly with leading organisations through live projects, internships, masterclasses, mentoring opportunities, and career-readiness initiatives. The campus's industry network includes over 60 organisations, among them National Australia Bank (NAB), HSBC, ANZ, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Macquarie, EY, BHP, ICICI Bank, India INX, Adani Group, and Forensic CyberTech.
Every student currently undertakes live industry projects as part of their learning experience. Graduates from the inaugural cohort have already secured opportunities with leading Indian and multinational organisations, and several employers have returned to recruit from subsequent cohorts, reflecting growing confidence in the talent emerging from the campus.
Student and Industry Perspectives
Diya Rajesh Jimuliya, a student of Master of Business Analytics, shared her thoughts after the industry orientation programme: "It was an extremely motivating session. We got to know what skills would matter in the future. We came to know that we must remain agile and adapt to the changes every day while we learn how to control the controllables."
Industry leaders have also acknowledged the preparedness and awareness of Deakin students. Shefali Gaur, Technical Leader at IBM Service Engineering, Americas, who addressed students during orientation, remarked: "What stood out for me was that the students know what's happening in the industry, about disruption, AI and even ethical use of AI. That impressed me as much as their curiosity and willingness to engage."
Contributing to India's Higher Education Vision
Dr Deepak Bajaj, Academic and Campus Director of Deakin University GIFT City Campus, said: "As our campus continues to grow, so does the opportunity to shape the next generation of professionals for India's rapidly evolving knowledge economy. We warmly welcome our newest students and look forward to nurturing their potential through globally benchmarked education, immersive industry experiences and a collaborative learning environment that prepares them to create meaningful impact from day one."
As India continues to open its higher education ecosystem to global participation, Deakin's GIFT City Campus serves as a strong example of how international universities can broaden access to world-class education while contributing directly to national priorities in workforce development, innovation, and economic growth.
Deakin University, ranked among the top 1% of global universities, made history as the first international university to establish a branch campus in India, with operations at GIFT City, Gandhinagar. Since welcoming its first cohort in July 2024, the campus has become a hub for academic excellence and industry-aligned learning, currently offering two postgraduate programmes in Business Analytics and Cyber Security.
