University of Liverpool Opens First South India Campus in Bengaluru with Inaugural Cohort of 300 Students

The University of Liverpool has officially inaugurated its new campus at Alembic City in Whitefield, Bengaluru, marking the opening of the first Russell Group university campus in Karnataka. The purpose-built campus has welcomed its inaugural cohort of nearly 300 students. The branch campus is offering an initial suite of undergraduate and postgraduate academic programmes covering key growth disciplines, including Computer Science, Game Design, Business Management, Accounting and Finance, and Biomedical Sciences. The campus environment is equipped with modern infrastructure, featuring smart classrooms, collaborative innovation hubs, specialized research laboratories, and direct access to Bloomberg financial terminals.

Dignitaries and Institutional Cooperation:
The opening ceremony brought together prominent government officials, UK diplomats, academic leaders, and sports personalities to mark the milestone in India-UK higher education ties. Key attendees included Shri M. B. Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, Government of Karnataka; Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region; Robbie Fowler, Liverpool Football Club legend and University of Liverpool alumnus; Harshbir Sangha MBE FRSA, British Deputy High Commissioner to Karnataka; and Alison Barrett, Director, British Council India. In tandem with the event, Shilpa Nag, Special Commissioner of the Greater Bengaluru Authority, and Tim Games, Executive Director for Investment and Delivery at Liverpool City Region, signed a Joint Declaration of Intent to foster bilateral economic, technology, and educational growth.

Historical Ties and Academic Honors:
The ceremony commemorated long-standing links between the institution and India, specifically honoring Indian-born Nobel Laureate Professor Har Gobind Khorana. Professor Khorana, who earned his PhD from the University of Liverpool in 1948, was commemorated through the naming of a campus lecture theatre in his honor, alongside a special display of his original doctoral manuscript.

Research Alliances and Industry Partnerships:
The university showcased its ongoing research collaboration with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) and announced a new collaborative seed fund with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru. Furthermore, new strategic agreements were executed with the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bell Integration, and Sai Life Sciences. These entities join a network of corporate and organizational partners exploring joint skill initiatives and research projects, including Wipro Limited, TiE Bangalore, Axis Bank, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), YouWeCan, Dream11, and AstraZeneca.

Executive and Leadership Statements:
Commending the initiative, Shri D. K. Shivakumar, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka, noted that the University of Liverpool Bengaluru campus is a valuable addition to the state’s knowledge and innovation ecosystem, providing a world-class educational experience tailored to required graduate-level skills. Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, stated that seeing a university so core to Liverpool establish a campus in Bengaluru presents a major opportunity to build stronger economic, research, and cultural links between the two regions. Professor Tim Jones, Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, expressed pride in opening the institution’s first international campus in over 20 years and reiterated its commitment to partnering with universities, industry, and non-profits to generate positive local and global impact.