Gurugram. Victoria University (VU) of Australia is set to launch its next international branch campus in India, with the institution confirming that teaching will be delivered entirely through its distinctive block model. The new campus, to be known as Victoria University, Delhi National Capital Region, is scheduled to open in July and will be located in Gurgaon (Gurugram), a major commercial hub near New Delhi.
VU said the block teaching approach — where students study one subject at a time in small classes over intensive four-week periods — was a key factor in attracting its Indian partner and joint campus owner, Mumbai-based edtech firm Erulearning Solutions. The campus is expected to occupy six floors of a refurbished high-rise building in Gurgaon, a city known for its concentration of technology firms, financial institutions, hospitality companies and global consultancies.
The Gurgaon campus will offer VU-branded undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in disciplines such as business, cybersecurity, applied information technology and sports management. Initial enrolments are expected to number in the hundreds, with projections reaching several thousand students within five years.
VU Chancellor Steve Bracks highlighted India’s rapid economic and demographic growth, noting the sharp transformation of the region over the past two decades. He pointed to strong demand for international education among India’s expanding middle class, particularly in the Delhi region, which has a population exceeding 30 million.
The move comes amid a broader surge in Australian universities establishing offshore campuses, driven by more flexible education policies in host countries and enrolment caps on international students in Australia. India has emerged as a key destination following the implementation of its National Education Policy in 2020. Deakin University and the University of Wollongong opened the country’s first foreign university campuses in Gujarat in 2024, while Western Sydney University has also received approval to set up operations. The University of Western Australia is planning campuses in Mumbai and Chennai, with more announcements expected during ongoing visits by Australian education officials and university leaders.
VU Vice-Chancellor Adam Shoemaker said the Gurgaon campus will include pathway options that allow students to move between India and Australia, but emphasised that the model is intended to work in both directions. He noted growing interest among Australian students in studying in India, particularly given Gurgaon’s reputation as a hub for start-ups and fast-growing technology firms.
The university plans to redesign the Gurgaon facility to mirror its Melbourne campus, featuring flexible learning spaces and no traditional lecture theatres — a core element of the block model. VU credits the teaching approach with significantly improving student outcomes and stabilising its finances. Since introducing the model, pass rates have risen sharply, and overall higher education enrolments have increased despite ongoing challenges with student attrition.
Already the largest institution globally to operate fully under a block teaching system, VU’s model has been adopted or adapted by several universities across Asia-Pacific, including institutions in Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
Shoemaker said the Indian campus will also serve as a testing ground for how effectively the block model can be delivered in online and hybrid formats, working closely with local partners experienced in digital education.
“The key challenge is how to scale success,” he said, adding that India’s expertise in technology and education delivery would play a crucial role in shaping the campus’s future.