New Campus of Nalanda University Inaugurated

• 19 Jun 2024

On June 19th, 2024, Prime Minister inaugurated the new campus of Nalanda University in Bihar. The original Nalanda University, established around 1,600 years ago, is considered to be among the first residential universities in the world.

Key Points

• The new campus is located near the historic ruins of Nalanda, a university established under the Nalanda University Act of 2010. This Act was the result of a decision made at the second East Asia Summit, which took place in the Philippines in 2007
• Founded in the fifth century, Nalanda University was a renowned center of learning that attracted international students. It thrived for 800 years before being destroyed by invaders in the 12th century.
• The contemporary university commenced its operations in 2014 at a provisional site with an initial cohort of 14 students, and construction began in 2017.
• Besides India, a total of 17 countries have signed MoUs to support the Nalanda University. These nations include Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, New Zealand, Portugal, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, Laos, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
• The university offers 137 scholarships to international students. It comprises six schools: the School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy & Comparative Religions, Historical Studies, Ecology and Environmental Studies, and Sustainable Development and Management.