An innovative model for delivering business education in India

• The University of the Fraser Valley offers an innovative BBA degree program in Chandigarh, India.
• All four years of the UFV program are offered in India; students are enrolled as UFV students.
• We describe the challenges of designing and establishing the program.
• We offer recommendations for other schools considering similar ventures.

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to describe the development and establishment of the University of the Fraser Valley’s (UFV) unique Bachelor of Business Administration program in Chandigarh, India. This program offers the entire four-year BBA program in Chandigarh, with the students enrolled as UFV students and receiving UFV course credit. The article also makes recommendations to other post-secondary institutions considering entering the Indian education market.Design/methodology/approachThe article describes the conceptualization, development, and implementation of the program, using the experiences of the paper’s first author.FindingsThe Indian education market has distinctive characteristics that institutions must take into account when entering that market. A considerable amount of groundwork is necessary for non-Indian institutions to be able to offer a marketable program in India, and institutions embarking on such a program must be prepared for the reality that the program will not immediately be profitable. However, there are many potentially beneficial outcomes from such a venture.Originality/valueThis paper describes an international education program that is distinctive in its approach and structure. The article provides information that will be valuable to other institutions considering the possibility of offering programs in India.