New Delhi, January 29 (ANI): There is a significant opportunity for institutions in India and the United Kingdom to collaborate in building the next generation of future-ready talent in the creative industries, Alison Barrett, Country Director of the British Council in India, said on Thursday. She noted that more British universities are expected to set up campuses in India beyond the nine already announced.
Speaking with ANI on the sidelines of the Delhi edition of Creative Convergence: Growth Reimagined, Barrett said she expects a much stronger connection between universities in the two countries over the next decade. “I think there is so much opportunity for our institutions to collaborate to build the next generation of future-ready talent in the creative industries, whether that’s in podcasting, filmmaking, fashion, or design,” she said. “Partnerships could include joint master’s programs, undergraduate programs, or internships for British students in India to learn from the local creative sector and approaches to scale.”
Barrett added that nine British universities are already planning campuses in India, with more expected in the coming years. “There are more opportunities for UK universities to be part of this ecosystem, working with industry and ensuring a flow of talent between our countries for years to come,” she said.
During UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to India in October 2025, he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi recognized education as a key area of bilateral cooperation and expressed satisfaction with the progress on establishing nine British university campuses in India. Both leaders highlighted the importance of youth, cultural, and educational exchanges in shaping the bilateral relationship and committed to the first Annual Ministerial Strategic Education Dialogue and implementation of the Programme of Cultural Cooperation signed in May 2025.
A joint statement said the University of Southampton welcomed its inaugural cohort of Indian students at its Gurugram campus. Letters of Intent (LoIs) were also handed over by the University Grants Commission for branch campuses of the University of Liverpool, University of York, University of Aberdeen, and University of Bristol in India. Queen’s University Belfast and Coventry University have been authorized to open campuses in GIFT City. Additionally, the LoI for Lancaster University’s campus in Bengaluru was handed over, and in-principle approval was granted for the University of Surrey campus in GIFT City.
During PM Modi’s visit to the UK in July 2025, both countries signed the historic India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and adopted the India-UK Vision 2035 and a Defence Industrial Roadmap.
Ruth Mackenzie, Global Director of Arts at the British Council, said that the creative industries of India and the UK are world-leading and contribute significantly to both economies. “Creative industries are not just about making and selling work—they create attractions that bring visitors globally, benefiting the economies of India and the UK,” she said. Mackenzie added that the conference provides an opportunity for learning, highlighting how much the UK can learn from India’s creative ecosystem.
The British Council inaugurated the Delhi edition of Creative Convergence: Growth Reimagined, building on the momentum of the inaugural Bengaluru edition held in November 2025. The two-day event brings together policymakers, researchers, creative entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders from India and the UK to reimagine the future of the creative economy.
The Delhi edition emphasizes policy dialogue, research, and creative enterprise, exploring how aligned frameworks and cross-border collaboration can enable inclusive, sustainable, and future-ready growth. The event opened with a plenary and keynote session titled Creative Convergence: Where Bold Ideas and Future-Ready Ecosystems Meet, setting the strategic vision for India-UK creative collaboration and highlighting the role of the creative economy in policy, innovation, and bilateral partnership.
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