Bengaluru gets Australian Consulate, UNSW campus to boost Karnataka ties

MB Patil inaugurated the Australian Consulate-General and UNSW Sydney's Bengaluru campus on Friday. The twin openings are expected to widen Karnataka's links with Australia in education, investment and innovation.MB Patil inaugurated the Australian Consulate-General and UNSW Sydney's Bengaluru campus on FridayKarnataka Minister MB Patil on Friday inaugurated the Australian Consulate-General in Bengaluru and the city campus of UNSW Sydney, saying the twin developments would deepen Karnataka's ties with Australia and strengthen the state's position as a global education and innovation hub.He said the new university campus would give students in Karnataka access to international education closer to home, while the new diplomatic mission was expected to strengthen the long-standing relationship between Karnataka and Australia and open the way for greater investment, education and innovation ties.Speaking after inaugurating the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Bengaluru campus at Manyata Tech Park, Patil said, "UNSW Sydney is among the world's top 20 universities and one of Australia's leading institutions of higher education.Its Bengaluru campus will enable students from Karnataka to access world-class international education closer to home. It is the sixth foreign university to establish a campus in the state." He said the Bengaluru campus would follow the same curriculum and teaching methodology as the university's Australian campus. Initially, the campus will offer undergraduate programmes in Business, Computer Science, Data Science and Decisions, besides a one-year postgraduate programme in Cyber Security, with each programme admitting 30 students. Patil, the minister for Large and Medium Industries, said the University of Liverpool, Lancaster University, La Trobe University, Flinders University and Imperial College London have already established campuses in Karnataka, and several more globally reputed universities are expected to set up operations in the state in the coming years.He said Karnataka's world-class research institutions, robust industrial base and vibrant innovation ecosystem make it an ideal destination for leading international universities. Earlier in the day, Patil inaugurated the newly established Australian Consulate-General on Cunningham Road. Addressing the gathering, he said Australia had made a "commendable decision" by choosing Bengaluru for its Consulate-General, noting that more than 40 Australian companies already have a presence in the city.He said Australia has been a regular participant in flagship events hosted by Karnataka, including the Global Investors Meet, Bengaluru Tech Summit and Space Expo, while the Australian states of Queensland and Victoria have already established trade and investment offices in Bengaluru.Patil said the two inaugurations reflected growing engagement between Karnataka and Australia, with the new consulate and the UNSW campus expected to support stronger links in investment, education and innovation.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Jul 31, 2026 23:54 IST