INDIA: Doors shut on top UK universities

Since it began market reforms in the early 1990s, India has rolled out the red carpet for many British corporations, reports The Independent. Vodafone, British Telecom and Rolls-Royce all have operations there, helping to push foreign direct investment to nearly £8 billion (US$16 billion) last year. But while Britain's phone companies, cars and expertise in higher education are welcomed, its universities are not.

Despite overtures from dozens of British and American colleges, the Indian government has yet to allow any foreign institution to create a legally recognised degree programme in India. And outsiders may have to wait awhile - some say a long, long while - before that is likely to change.

The issue has become a political hot potato. Some administrators in India are keen to allow foreign universities in, but efforts to do so have been strongly opposed by the communist political parties and some leading academics, who say the government would do more good by increasing the amount of money it puts into higher education than by giving the task to foreigners.

Full report on The Independent site