Reflections after one year of building University of Southampton Delhi.

Helping build University of Southampton Delhi (UoSD) in a vibrant and dynamic India has felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. India does a great job of challenging assumptions and nudges you to engage with complexity directly. In starting to develop the foundations for a new international university, it didn’t take long to realise that success is not shaped by infrastructure, process, or legacy alone. It is moulded by cultural understanding and ultimately, by people, who share the same dream as you. In the initial stages, culture is nascent, systems are forming and processes are not yet embedded. Our faculty and professional teams have come together, upholding global academic standards and building essential foundations with utmost care. Everyone has gone well beyond their job descriptions, working tirelessly to strengthen an institution that wears the mantle of a pioneer in delivering globally focused learning within India’s higher education landscape.

Building a new international university in India: Decisions, culture and collaboration

Our early months involved a steady stream of intense decisions, often with incomplete information and real consequences. While important, speed is an inferior substitute for buy-in and shared understanding and yet, on occasions, we had to go for speed. Progress doesn’t always come from formal meetings, but from informal corridor conversations that provide a window into people’s real thinking on standards, expectations and what success should look like. Needless to add, cultural equilibrium doesn’t happen in an instant either. It emerges gradually in how cues are interpreted, how authority is exercised and the approach taken to pull the team in a unified direction. Once we start seeing cultural difference as insight and not as friction, institutions come alive.

Year two at University of Southampton Delhi: Strengthening systems and student experience

So, what does Year 2 look like for UoSD? Our first year here was my opportunity to practise what I have long taught my students both in India and earlier in the UK: to be steady under ambiguity, and principled under pressure. Not all that easy under most circumstances. With systems and processes in place, the first year has been an opportunity to demonstrate our learner centric approach, as well as our ability to provide world-class learning in the heart of the country. The extremely motivated and agile team at UoSD is focused on further deepening our academic and student experience frameworks, building our research and learner-centric partnerships across India, UK and the rest of the world. We have introduced new impactful programmes that provide clear career outcomes and align with India’s growth goals. Higher Education rewards patience and UoSD has put in place governance standards, a progressive academic culture and operational clarity that positions us well for enduring impact.

Experiential learning and the founding student cohort

Ever since we commenced academic operations in August last year, our pioneering first batch of students have immersed in experiential learning both inside and outside the classroom. They are not just passive recipients but active contributors to our mission here in India. Applied projects, industry interactions, community engagement, as well as student-led initiatives are a norm for us at UoSD. It’s heartening to see our students shaping culture and building tradition from scratch. Legacy maybe shaped over decades, but identity creation commences with the founding batch.

I would like to take a moment to thank our students who placed their trust in us during our very first year. We have together laid the foundation of something transformational.

Author: Dr Vishal Talwar, Chief Operating Officer at University of Southampton Delhi.

Date: Tuesday 03 March 2026

This article reflects the thoughts, opinions and experiences of the author, and do not necessarily represent the official view of University of Southampton Delhi. You should confirm and check factual information presented in this article before making decisions based on its content.