If the rise in British university fees and the cap on numbers is off-putting studying at home then perhaps budding academics should head for India: that’s the message from a British university which is to open a Delhi campus in October.

“The tuition fees in Delhi will be 40% cheaper than in Britain,” said Prof Michael Driscoll, vice chancellor of Middlesex University. “But the curriculum and quality of teaching will be identical to what we offer in our London campus.”

Middlesex reckons it has just received approval from Indian authorities to open a campus in Noida, which will come with its own accommodation for students.

The ‘head-for-Noida’ message comes ahead of moves by some universities, including Middlesex, to charging tuition fees of £9,000 a year – the maximum allowed – beginning next year. At the Noida campus, by contrast, students will be charge £4,000, Driscoll said.

“We fully expect and will encourage British students to go to Delhi,” said Driscoll. “Our accommodation connected with the Noida campus and is at least as good as the London campus…”.