Deakin University GIFT City Campus, India, announced ‘Winner’ at Economic Times Education Excellence Awards 2025

NEW DELHI, June 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Deakin University is proud to announce that its GIFT City Campus in Gandhinagar, India, has been awarded ‘Winner’ in the category of ‘Outstanding in Adopting NEP Strategies’ at the prestigious Economic Times Education Excellence Awards 2025. The awards ceremony, held at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, New Delhi, brought together distinguished educational leaders from across the country.

This milestone not only recognises the landmark India’s first international branch campus initiative but also celebrates Deakin’s three-decade legacy of deep engagement with India. Since becoming the first university to establish an office in India in 1994, Deakin has fostered enduring partnerships across India’s academia, industry, and government, forging the path for this transformative new campus.

Established in 2024, the campus represents a new model for higher education in India. It is globally benchmarked, digitally empowered, and deeply aligned with the transformative vision of India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

“It’s an enormous privilege to be part of India’s education transformation and support the Indian Government’s NEP 2020 ambitions.  Our Deakin GIFT City campus provides access to a world-class education for Indian students on their home soil, whilst building on Deakin’s deep and longstanding connection and friendship with India. Being in the heart of GIFT City allows us to facilitate opportunities with key global industry tech and finance players,” said Professor Iain Martin, Vice-Chancellor, Deakin University.

Deakin’s GIFT City Campus is the first international branch campus in India. Focused on preparing students for the rapidly advancing digital economy, it offers a vibrant atmosphere that includes cybersecurity laboratories and state-of-the-art digital classrooms. It also facilitates internship opportunities with onsite industry partners.

“This is not just a win for Deakin, it’s a win for the India–Australia education partnership,” said Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Engagement) and CEO (South Asia), Deakin University. “Our GIFT City Campus builds on years of meaningful collaboration and trust earned in India. It reflects Deakin’s unique positioning to bring international education closer to Indian aspirations.”

The GIFT City campus currently offers postgraduate programs in Cybersecurity and Business Analytics, designed with Indian industry partners and delivered at the same standards as offered in Australia. Its first successful placement cycle concluded recently, with students securing paid internships and future roles at National Australia Bank’s India Innovation Centre.

Deakin’s GIFT City Campus has been purpose-built for scalability and sustainability, both across its physical and academic structure. Powered by Deakin’s award-winning advanced tech for education delivery model, students benefit from AI-powered learning platforms, virtual labs, and simulations, alongside holistic learner support systems and access-enabling scholarships.

As a campus grounded in Deakin’s philosophy of ‘In India, With India, For India‘, this recognition affirms their role in helping India realise its NEP goals through globally relevant, locally delivered education.

To know more about the Deakin University GIFT City Campus, please visit https://www.deakin.edu.au/gift-city-campus-india

About Deakin University

Established in 1974, Deakin is Australia’s most progressive University with a focus on delivering outcomes that benefit the whole of society through exploring and developing great ideas.

Deakin excels in both education and research globally and has more than 65 global partnerships.

Deakin’s South Asia operations commenced in 1994 at New Delhi, India, making it one of the first overseas education providers to set up operations in this region. Here, Deakin engages with the government, industry, and academia to share its vibrant education and research culture.

Our strong global footprint allows us to connect with students and partners around the world through our presence in China, Europe, India, Indonesia, South and Central America, and Sri Lanka.

For more information on Deakin University, please visit https://www.deakin.edu.au/ 

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