Queen’s University Belfast Appoints First Dean for GIFT City Campus, Marks Major Milestone in India Expansion

 Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), one of the UK’s prestigious Russell Group universities, has taken a significant leap in its global expansion efforts by announcing the appointment of Professor M Satish Kumar as the first Dean of its upcoming India campus. Located in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), the campus is set to welcome its first cohort of students in early 2026.

Leadership with a Legacy: Professor M Satish Kumar
Professor M Satish Kumar brings over 25 years of experience with Queen’s University Belfast, where he served in the School of Natural and Built Environment. His longstanding dedication to global education and India-UK academic relations has made him a natural fit for this historic role. He previously led Queen’s Academy India and served as Director of Internationalisation, where he played a key role in building collaborative academic and institutional ties across South Asia.

Prof Kumar’s academic footprint extends beyond Queen’s. He has held visiting professorships at premier Indian institutions, including Banaras Hindu University (Varanasi), Jawaharlal Nehru University (New Delhi), and the University of Calcutta (Kolkata), further solidifying his credentials as a cross-cultural academic leader.

The GIFT City Campus: A First for the UK Russell Group in India
The establishment of the GIFT City campus marks QUB as the first UK Russell Group university to set up an international branch in India’s emerging global finance and tech hub. This strategic move aligns with India’s growing emphasis on international education collaboration, as encouraged under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and internationalisation frameworks.

Expected to open in early 2026, the GIFT City campus will initially offer a suite of five postgraduate programs tailored to meet the sector-specific demands of the Indian economy. These programmes are currently under design and aim to deliver academic excellence combined with employability-focused learning outcomes.

Strengthening UK-India Educational Ties
The GIFT City initiative underscores Queen’s University Belfast’s commitment to enhancing its presence in India and fostering long-term partnerships with academic institutions, industries, and government bodies. It also aligns with the broader trend of transnational education, where global institutions seek to bridge geographical boundaries through academic mobility and mutual growth.

According to university sources, the academic staff responsible for programme delivery at the GIFT City campus will be announced in the coming months. These appointments will be crucial to maintaining QUB’s reputation for high academic standards and global research impact.

Why This Move Matters

• Strategic Location: GIFT City is India’s first operational smart city and a global finance hub, making it an ideal setting for an international academic institution.
• Educational Diplomacy: QUB’s expansion is emblematic of deepening UK-India relations in higher education.
• Talent Pipeline: The postgraduate programmes will directly cater to emerging sectors in India’s growing economy, thus nurturing a skilled and industry-ready talent pool.
   

Voices of Vision
Professor M Satish Kumar, in taking up this pioneering role, will be instrumental in shaping the identity and operational ethos of the India campus. His appointment is widely seen as a milestone in QUB’s strategic efforts to globalise its education while adapting to regional economic and educational demands.

Conclusion: A Campus with Global Ambitions
Queen’s University Belfast’s GIFT City campus is poised to become a landmark in international education, showcasing how premier universities can extend their legacy of excellence across continents. With the appointment of Professor M Satish Kumar as its founding Dean, the campus is set to blend QUB’s academic rigour with India’s dynamic aspirations, offering a world-class education experience on Indian soil.

Stay tuned as the university reveals more about the programmes and faculty in the months leading up to its grand launch in 2026.