The University of Cambridge has announced a series of initiatives spanning research collaboration, student access, philanthropy and sport during a high-level visit to India, renewing an academic relationship with the country that dates back more than 150 years.
The announcements were made during a visit by a senior Cambridge delegation to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, led by Vice-Chancellor Deborah Prentice. Central to the initiatives is the launch of the Cambridge–India Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS), a new platform aimed at strengthening collaboration in research, innovation and learning between Cambridge and India’s rapidly growing knowledge economy.
According to the university, the Cambridge–India CAS will serve as a hub for its activities in India, facilitating intellectual exchange, policy engagement and societal impact. The centre will operate as a multi-sited and multi-dimensional framework, building on existing bilateral partnerships across the country rather than a single physical campus.
Speaking during the visit, Prentice said the initiative offers an opportunity to collaborate with leading researchers and innovators in India while deepening academic and institutional ties. She also paid tribute to Sir Mark Tully, the former BBC correspondent and Cambridge alumnus, noting his long association with India and his contribution to public understanding of the country.
As part of efforts to widen access for Indian students, Cambridge announced that the CBSE Class XII qualification will now be accepted for entry to selected undergraduate courses, alongside additional requirements where applicable. The university is also exploring new philanthropic avenues to support scholarships for high-achieving Indian students.
To support these efforts, Cambridge has established a Section 8 company in India, the Cambridge India Research Foundation, which will enable alumni, donors and members of the public to contribute towards scholarships, student expenses and joint research programmes.
Sporting ties between Cambridge and India will also be strengthened, with the Cambridge University Men’s Cricket Team scheduled to tour India in March 2026 for pre-season matches—the first such tour in 15 years. Plans are also under way for the Cambridge Women’s team to visit India next year. Cambridge highlighted its historic cricketing links with India, including alumni Ranjitsinhji and Duleepsinghji, both of whom represented the university in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron, welcomed the initiatives, describing them as aligned with the UK–India Vision 2035 and the shared objective of nurturing global talent through education and research collaboration.
The visiting delegation also included Bhaskar Vira, pro-vice-chancellor for education and environmental sustainability at Cambridge and the first Indian national to hold the post. Vira said there was strong enthusiasm among partners in both countries for the Cambridge–India CAS and described the initiative as a new chapter in the long-standing relationship between Cambridge and India.
The Cambridge–India CAS will be structured around three integrated components: a Centre for Advanced Research and Synthesis to host jointly convened research programmes; a Knowledge–Policy–Innovation Hub to support knowledge transfer and impact; and a Learning Hub focused on education, mobility and scholarships for students and staff.
One of the first Learning Hub initiatives announced is a real estate education programme developed by P E Analytics Ltd, with curriculum support from Cambridge’s Department of Land Economy, aimed at establishing India’s first School of Real Estate. Senior Cambridge representatives are also participating in the India Global Education Summit in Chennai later this month.
Cambridge is also planning a UK–India partners’ event at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London in May, coinciding with the annual Oxford–Cambridge Varsity cricket match.
Over the decades, Cambridge has educated several prominent Indian scientists, leaders, writers and industrialists, reflecting the depth and longevity of its academic ties with India.
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