The University of Western Australia (UWA), one of the world’s top 100 universities and a member of Australia’s Group of Eight (Go8), announced its new campus in Chennai - unveiling not just a branch campus, but a transformative Indo-Pacific talent hub built on the pillars of technology, oceans, MedTech, digital skills, and integrated industry-ready innovation.
UWA’s expansion into Chennai marks the next chapter in its rapidly growing India footprint. The university emphasizes that Chennai was chosen for a rare economic and capability complementarity with Western Australia. Both regions sit at comparable economic scales of around USD 450 billion, lead their nations in renewable energy and advanced industries, and possess natural synergies that make talent-building between them uniquely powerful. With Western Australia’s population of 3 million and Tamil Nadu’s 77 million, UWA sees significant scope to cultivate the next generation of talent for the wider region.
At the same time, Chennai stands among India’s most respected education and research hubs - home to IIT Madras, SRM, RMK and several high-quality institutions making it a strategic choice for a global university. At the heart of UWA’s vision is a fundamental shift: teaching is only the beginning; capability-building is the campus mission. Students in Chennai will gain world-class, globally relevant pathways into high-growth sectors where Tamil Nadu and Western Australia align naturally—AI and cybersecurity, maritime sciences, MedTech innovation, sustainability, digital systems, engineering, and defence-linked ocean technologies.
Professor Amit Chakma, Vice-Chancellor, UWA, said: “We chose Chennai not because it was the next city - but because it represents the future. This will be an Indo-Pacific powerhouse where talent, industry and research flow seamlessly across India and Australia. By connecting Tamil Nadu’s strengths with Western Australia’s leadership in oceans, critical technologies and innovation, we are creating a platform for capability-building that will shape the region’s next decade.”
This vision is already unfolding. UWA’s SPARC-supported collaboration with Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER) through the “Seeing Smarter” initiative- an AI and eye-tracking project transforming dental radiograph education underscores UWA’s deep commitment to strengthening Chennai’s MedTech, digital health, and clinical innovation landscape.
Chennai’s Indo-Pacific coastal positioning also strengthens UWA’s expanding work in Underwater Domain Awareness. Through a 24-month DFAT–CSDR partnership advancing anti-submarine warfare, uncrewed undersea vehicles, deep-sea sensing, and undersea search and rescue, UWA sees Chennai as one of India’s most strategically placed hubs to grow maritime capability for the future.
The city’s technology depth adds another defining dimension. UWA’s collaboration with HCLTech will deliver first-of-its-kind global micro-credentials in AI, cybersecurity, digital engineering and technology leadership - co-developed by UWA and HCLTech. This partnership will link Chennai’s advanced tech ecosystem with UWA’s global expertise and create employability pipelines across both regions. It will culminate in the 2026 Indo-Pacific Innovation Hackathon delivered with the Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce and MEITY, giving students a platform to solve real-world problems in emerging technologies.
Srimathi Shivashankar, Corporate Vice President and Global Head, EdTech Business, HCLTech, said:“At HCLTech, we have been working with universities and enterprises to make learning practical, accessible and aligned with real-world opportunities. Through our collaboration with UWA, we will enable learners to build skills that matter, empowering them to apply their knowledge to real opportunities and drive meaningful impact.”
By connecting Chennai’s strengths with Western Australia’s global leadership in oceans, critical technologies and innovation, UWA’s new campus positions the city as a defining force in shaping the Indo-Pacific’s next decade. Chennai is not just welcoming a new university - it is rising as a future-making hub for the entire region.