By Hannah Roberts, News Subeditor
The University of Bristol has opened its Mumbai Enterprise Campus, welcoming its inaugural cohort of students at a ceremony this week.
The opening comes in the same week the University unveiled its Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus in Bristol, a month before its 150th anniversary, with both campuses focused on skills in fast-moving fields such as data science and finance.
The University pointed to Mumbai’s standing in technology, innovation, and the arts as the reasons for the choice, saying this reflects similar strengths at Bristol.
The Mumbai Enterprise Campus is based at Cignus Powai, near Powai Lake, one of the city's leading innovation and technology hubs, and sits directly opposite the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.
Approval for the campus was granted in July 2025 at an event in New Delhi that marked five years of India's National Education Policy 2020.
A traditional lamp-lighting ceremony marked the opening, attended by Vice-Chancellor Prof Evelyn Welch and Director and Executive Dean Prof Michelle Jones.
In a statement following the campus’s opening, V-C Welch said:
‘Today marks a defining moment in the University of Bristol's 150-year history and an important milestone in our relationship with Maharashtra. We are confident in India's extraordinary talent, ambition and growing role in shaping the future of education, research and innovation.’
In the University’s statement, Prof Jones said:
‘We are committed to India and to a more globally connected model of higher education in the country, and have received such a positive response from students and parents as we embark on our first year.’
Bristol alumna Dr Shanta Gokhale, a writer, journalist, translator, and theatre critic who graduated in 1962, received an honorary degree at the ceremony - becoming the Mumbai campus's first graduate 64 years on.
Four students received the University of Bristol-Government of Maharashtra Scholarship, covering full tuition and an internship at the Chief Minister's Office.
Recipient Neha Kushe - moving from a background in Physics to an MSc in Finance and Investment - said the scholarship ‘fuels my belief that my aspirations are worth investing in.’
She added that studying at the new campus will let her ‘gain a globally recognised education while remaining in Mumbai.’
The founding cohort is enrolled on BSc Data Science, MSc Finance and Investment, MA Immersive Arts, and MSc Financial Technology with Data Science.
Lenny Osler
Mumbai degrees follow Bristol’s own curricula, tailored to meet local industry demands, with internships, partnerships, and research opportunities built in.
Prior to formal teaching, the founding cohort completed a three-week pre-semester programme, the ‘Bristol Global Futures Lab, Mumbai Edition’ - aiming to tackle challenges across the city.
The University also confirmed a Global Mobility scheme, enabling Mumbai students to study in Bristol and vice versa.
Previously, up to 250 students were projected to enrol in the campus's first year, rising to 2,500 by year five.
Lectures at the campus are due to begin today, September 15.
The University has not yet confirmed the exact cohort size, as applications remain open until the end of September.
Featured image: University of Bristol
