University looking to open campus in India

A university which is currently trying to plug a £35m shortfall is looking to open a new campus in India.

Newcastle University said it was in the "very early stages" of creating "education partnerships" in the country.

More than 1,000 staff at the University are currently being balloted on strike action over proposed budget cuts.

University and College Union (UCU) representative Prof Matt Perry said the news about possible expansion showed how "out of touch" management were.

Newcastle's vice-chancellor Prof Chris Day spoke at a British Council event in Delhi on Wednesday, according to education publication The Pie.

A university spokesperson said: "We are in the very early stages of exploring new education partnerships in India.

"We are keeping staff informed of our plans and how they will help to strengthen our future as one of the world's top universities."

But Prof Perry said members were "horrified" at plans to expand abroad "at the same time as they faced the uncertainty of threatened redundancies".

The institution is looking to make a £20m reduction in its salary bill - the equivalent of 300 jobs, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It has expanded its voluntary severance scheme to all employees but has been unable to rule out the possibility of compulsory redundancies.

Newcastle University already has campuses in Singapore and Malaysia.

Additional reporting by Austen Shakespeare, Local Democracy Reporter.

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