Indian University Boom in UAE Brings Affordable, High-Quality Education

• UAE is emerging as a global higher education hub, driven in part by a sharp rise in Indian universities setting up campuses, including IIT Delhi’s Abu Dhabi branch and Symbiosis Dubai with full CAA accreditation.
• Indian institutions are gaining global academic credibility, with a 390% rise in world rankings representation over the last decade and five universities now in the QS World Top 100 for employer reputation.
• The India-UAE education alliance is enabling cross-border learning and innovation, as experts highlight the rise of transnational education, research partnerships, and globally relevant, outcome-driven academic models.

The UAE is steadily becoming a world hub for higher education, with a sharp increase in the number of Indian universities present in the country being among the causes of the nation's advancing academic reputation and attractiveness globally. Country educators further emphasized that the India-UAE alliance is facilitating new cross-border learning models.

In the last ten years, Indian universities have registered a whopping 390 per cent rise in world rankings representation, and most of them are now establishing campuses in the UAE, a trend that has been in alignment with the country's ambition of becoming one of the world's leading education destinations.

Interestingly, the Abu Dhabi campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, the institute's first overseas branch, has just finished its inaugural year and is planning to become a hub for innovation and talent building worldwide.

Such increased presence is particularly meaningful for the UAE's massive Indian expatriate population and international students seeking cheap yet quality education in a place famous for its connectivity, security, and innovation-based economy.

Souri Banerjee, Director of BITS Pilani, commented, "This incredible surge really adds to the international credibility of Indian institutions and is very much in sync with the vision of the UAE to become a top regional education hub. It brings international attention to the region's academic potential and sustains students' and parents' confidence in the quality of education being offered right here in the UAE".

Educational experts observe that the strategic position of the UAE, multicultural environment, and progressive policies render it a desirable hub for well-known universities to open up overseas particularly those of Indian origin, with which there are historic ties to the Emirates.

"BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus is strongly set in the tradition of its parent university in India and is dedicated to promoting global academic excellence. We engage actively in cross-border cooperation, collaborative research initiatives, and student exchange programmes that enhance our academic offerings while promoting innovation and interconnectivity in the global education ecosystem", added Banerjee.

At the same time, with 54 Indian institutions included, India has passed many traditional systems to become the fourth most-represented nation in the tables. 

Experts also noted that Indian universities are no longer regarded as regional institutions only. They now stand for international standards of academic quality, innovation, and industry-readiness.

Dr Anita Patankar, Executive Director of Symbiosis Dubai, said, "As these institutions expand globally, their presence in the UAE strengthens the country's position as a serious player in international higher education. Being selected as one of only five Indian universities under the India-UAE bilateral agreement and the first with full CAA accreditation, Symbiosis Dubai stands as a clear example of how academic excellence, global trust, and regional opportunity can converge".

"Today, students are not merely seeking a degree, they are seeking relevance, mobility, and outcomes that happen in the real world. And Indian universities recognized worldwide are making that happen right here in Dubai", she said.

Leading the way in this development in India, is IIT Delhi, now ranked joint 123rd in the world, according to the QS World University Rankings 2026.

IIT Delhi has leapt over 70 places since 2024. Employer reputation of Indian institutions keeps rising, with five in the world top 100, even ahead of Mainland China and France on average. Further, India has eight institutions in the world top 100 for Citations per Faculty, testifying to its fast-growing research presence.

QS CEO Jessica Turner stated, "India is remapping the world map of higher education. More universities have launched in this edition of the QS World University Rankings from any single country a testament to a system remodeling at pace and scale".

She further added, "We observe evident progress: Indian universities are consolidating their international research profile and making strides in Citations per Faculty, Sustainability, and International Research Network". She also clarified that in the future Transnational education and Transnational Research will be an important component of this evolution. "We are witnessing a two-way flow speeding up: top global universities are creating offshore campuses and collaborative programs in India, while Indian institutions are slowly starting to export their own education by creating TNE partnerships and campuses overseas, with collaborative research being a key element of partnership building".