- IIFT to open its first overseas campus in Dubai, marking a major milestone in its 62-year history and aligning with India's National Education Policy 2020.
- The Dubai campus at Expo City awaits final clearances and will offer world-class full-time and executive programs in international business and trade.
- Initiative strengthens India-UAE educational ties, showcasing India’s rising global role in higher education and commitment to shaping future business leaders.
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), a Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, autonomous institution has announced setting up its first overseas campus in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This major breakthrough opens a new page in IIFT's 62-year history and strengthens India's emerging position in international education, specifically in international business and trade.
The new campus at Expo City, Dubai, is being established subject to the Ministry of Education approval and after obtaining No Objection Certificates (NoC) from the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, and the University Grants Commission (UGC). The project remains pending final clearances from UAE authorities and subject to regulations of the host country.
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, felicitating IIFT on the occasion, stated, "This is indeed the spirit of the National Education Policy 2020, a new era for internationalising Indian education and its role in contributing to thought leadership all over the world. It is also a reflection of the deepening India-UAE relationship, and this new campus will be instrumental in shaping business leaders of the future".
This view was echoed by Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal, who said, "It's a milestone in the 62-year history of IIFT that the institute is opening a full-fledged campus in Dubai. It signals India's arrival as a nation that offers world-class education particularly in the area of International Trade".
IIFT Vice Chancellor Professor Rakesh Mohan Joshi offered his thanks to all the supporting ministries and organizations. We aim to make IIFT a world-class institute. Our new Dubai campus will be all about excellence in education, training, and research in international trade. "I am grateful to the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Embassy in UAE, UGC and all those who have given their unwavering support in bringing IIFT's Dubai campus into being", he added. The Ministry of Education also specified certain terms for the operation of the offshore campus while giving the approval.
They encompass securing requisite financial and regulatory clearance from both the Indian and UAE governments, sustaining academic standards comparable to the primary New Delhi campus, and ensuring no diversion of faculty, infrastructure, or finance from the home campus. Fund remittances will be governed according to Reserve Bank of India regulations and guidelines of the Ministry of Finance. The Dubai campus is likely to commence operations shortly and deliver both full-time and executive education programmes specially designed for the market conditions of the region and the world business environment. This initiative is in line with the National Education Policy 2020 push for internationalisation of Indian institutions and setting up global learning hubs. With this expansion, IIFT intends to bring the same academic rigor and research intensity to a larger global student base. The new building is likely to serve both international students and local Indians in the Gulf.
This effort not only bolsters India's education presence in the Gulf but also marks an important milestone towards the globalisation of Indian higher education. It highlights India's pledge to offer world-class education and its expanding role in creating global business leaders.
