Bedford College, one of many UK’s oldest public unbiased colleges, is ready to open a purpose-built campus in Mohali, a deliberate metropolis positioned on the outskirts of the union territory of Chandigarh.
Whereas Bedford has historically been a boys’ college, comprising a preparatory college (ages seven to 13) and an higher college (ages 13 to 18), the Mohali campus marks a big milestone as it’ll turn out to be the primary British worldwide ladies’ college in India, catering to college students aged three to 18.
“The quickly rising demand for high-quality, holistic schooling in India was an essential think about selecting the situation for Bedford College’s first worldwide college. And Mohali stood out as a pure selection due to its wealthy instructional heritage and dedication to studying,” Iwan Lloyd, worldwide improvement director at Bedford College, advised The PIE Information.
“Inside India, it has currently turn out to be an schooling and IT hub, with high universities like Ashoka, Plaksha, and Amity College organising their campuses there. It’s certainly considered one of India’s most dynamic, quickly rising and forward-thinking cities.”
The brand new campus outcomes from a partnership between Bedford and the Dehradun-based, not-for-profit Doon Worldwide Training Society, facilitated by ISC Analysis – a number one English-medium Ok-12 worldwide college knowledge, traits, and intelligence supplier.
Furthermore, the campus is predicted to function spacious, fashionable lecture rooms geared up with the most recent expertise, a purpose-built 1,000-seater auditorium for performances, assemblies, and occasions, together with high-quality sports activities amenities, science and tech labs, artwork and music studios, and a well-resourced library.
Pupils will comply with the British curriculum for the first years, with a twin pathway choice for the secondary part
Iwan Lloyd, Bedford College
The 14-acre campus will supply each the nationwide and British curricula and can accommodate each day and boarding college students, Bedford College stated.
“Pupils will comply with the British curriculum for the first years, with a twin pathway choice for the secondary part,” said Lloyd.
“Dad and mom can anticipate rigorous tutorial requirements, excellent instructing, and a nurturing setting that helps pupils in reaching their full potential – whether or not they intention for high Indian establishments or world universities.”
Whereas India is house to its personal prestigious residential boarding colleges, similar to Doon, The Lawrence College, and Mayo Faculty, main worldwide boarding colleges, notably British establishments, are more and more trying to set up campuses within the nation owing to India’s rising middle-class inhabitants.
Wellington Faculty partnered with the Unison Group to determine premium colleges in India, with the primary campus opening in Pune. Harrow College additionally launched its Bangalore campus, which started operations in September 2023.
Moreover, Shrewsbury Worldwide College is ready to open its Bhopal campus in August 2025, providing schooling for college kids aged 11 to 18, following the English Nationwide Curriculum with Cambridge Worldwide IGCSE and A-Stage examinations.
Whereas Bedford will give attention to ladies’ schooling, marking a departure from its conventional UK operations, it goals to set itself aside from its counterparts in India.
“Bedford College’s ethos stands aside by its basis of sturdy character improvement alongside private and tutorial achievement. The campus in Mohali will likely be main in its subject, with amenities and infrastructure that can help values-based studying for pupils and supply various experiences,” said Lloyd.
“What’s going to actually set us aside is the collaboration between Bedford and our native companions, which can guarantee authenticity moderately than replication.”
In line with Lloyd, Bedford’s Mohali campus will undertake an inclusive method that respects regional traditions, languages, and household values, whereas additionally having a school that will likely be a various mixture of nationalities, together with educators from each the UK and India.
“This various crew will work intently to ship the most effective for pupils and uphold tutorial excellence,” stated Lloyd.
Bedford’s transfer comes at a time when the UK’s Labour authorities is dealing with authorized challenges over its choice so as to add VAT to non-public college charges.
Since January 1, 2025, personal colleges throughout the UK have been topic to a 20% VAT – a coverage the UK authorities claims will generate further funding for hiring extra academics in state colleges and assist “elevate requirements for the 94% of youngsters who attend state colleges”.
Nevertheless the authorized problem, introduced by the Impartial Faculties Council, a variety of Christian religion colleges, and the parent-led Training not Discrimination group, argues that the VAT coverage violates the authorized proper to schooling and discriminates towards households in low-paying religion colleges or these with youngsters who’ve particular instructional wants and disabilities, who can’t be adequately supported within the state sector.
Moreover, a survey reported on by The PIE final yr indicated that worldwide scholar recruitment in British boarding colleges might decline by as a lot as 28% in September 2025.
With plans to develop into the Center East as properly, Bedford has rejected claims that its transfer into India is aimed toward offsetting a possible decline in worldwide scholar recruitment.
“We determined about two-and-a-half years in the past that we wished to take Bedford College internationally as we felt it was a pure development as we’re a worldwide college already anyway – a 3rd of our Higher College boys are boarding and about half of these boarders come from about 25 nations from around the globe,” said Lloyd.
“After placing our identify on the market, we had an unbelievable response and for a few yr and a half, we had folks coming from all elements of the world wished to start out a Bedford College abroad, and Mohali was the primary and most fun one to return by.”
