Prof M Satish Kumar appointed as dean of Queen’s University’s new GIFT City campus

Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) has named Professor M Satish Kumar as the first dean of its upcoming international campus at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), India.

He will take charge in July 2025 and be based at the new campus, where he will lead academic initiatives as the university prepares to begin operations in India.

The GIFT City campus is scheduled to welcome its first batch of students in early 2026. QUB will become the first UK Russell Group university to set up in GIFT City, marking a significant step in its global engagement strategy.

The move also aims to build lasting partnerships with Indian academic institutions, industry leaders, and government agencies.

“Professor Kumar has been with Queen’s University Belfast for more than 25 years and is part of the School of Natural and Built Environment,” the university said in a statement. “He has also led Queen’s Academy India and served as Director of Internationalization, playing a key role in deepening the university’s ties across South Asia.”

In addition to his work at QUB, Prof Kumar has held visiting professorships at several leading Indian universities, including Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, and the University of Calcutta in Kolkata.

The India campus will initially offer five postgraduate programs tailored to meet the evolving needs of the Indian economy.

These programs are being developed to address sector-specific skill gaps and will serve as the foundation of the university’s academic offering during its first phase.

The names of faculty members responsible for delivering these programs will be announced in the coming months.

QUB’s entry into India comes at a time when transnational education is gaining momentum, particularly between the UK and India.

The establishment of its GIFT City campus aligns with India’s national policy promoting international branch campuses and is expected to support both education and regional economic growth.