South Asian University (SAU) is an international university sponsored by the eight Member States of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The participating countries are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. As a collaborative initiative of these states, the university aims to bring together students and scholars from across South Asia within a shared academic setting.
The university began admitting students in 2010, initially functioning from a temporary campus at Akbar Bhawan in India. This early phase enabled SAU to commence its academic programmes while a dedicated campus was being developed.
Since February 2023, the university has been operating from its permanent campus at Maidan Garhi in South Delhi, located adjacent to the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). The shift to the permanent campus marked a new stage in the institution's growth as a regional centre of higher education sponsored jointly by the SAARC member states.
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article on South Asian University.