Nalanda University

Nālandā University (informally NU; or ISO: Nālandā Vishwavidyalaya) is a central research university located in the ancient city of Rajgir in the state of Bihar, India. Designated by the government as an Institute of National Importance (INI) and excellence, Nālandā is the flagship university of the Ministry of External Affairs of India (MEA), and was founded in 2010 as a successor to the Nalanda Mahavihara of medieval Magadha. It is an international university and is named for the Sanskrit words Na-Alam-Da, meaning "The giver of lotus-stalks." It functions as a postgraduate research institute, offering only Master's and PhD degrees. Traditionally regarded as a symbol of India's historical legacy, the new Nālandā University retains a celebrated status within the nation.

The university was established by an Act of the Indian Parliament in 2010, with the President of India serving as the Visitor. It is an international university supported by 18 member countries of the East Asia Summit, with the initial proposal being placed by the former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. The first Chancellor of the university was Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, followed by Singapore's Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo.

Built at an initial cost of $210 million and spread over 485 acres, the campus is among the largest in India and the first in the country to implement a 'Net Zero' eco-recycling strategy. Nālandā University offers degree programmes in the School of Historical Studies (SHS), the School of Ecology and Environment Studies (SEES), the School of Buddhist Studies (SBS), the School of Philosophy and Comparative Religions (SPCR), the School of Languages and Literature/Humanities (SLLH), and the School of Management Studies (SMS). It also offers degrees in the study of the Sanātana Dharma, as well as diplomas in languages such as Sanskrit, Pāli, Tibetan, Japanese and Korean. The new campus in Rajgir was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on June 19, 2024 in the presence of officials, ambassadors and dignitaries from all 10 ASEAN members.

The university houses three distinct institutions that are part of the Nalanda vision of bringing the various sects of the Dharmic community together. They include the Centre for Bay of Bengal, the Centre for Conflict Resolution and Peace Building, and the Common Archival Resource Centre. Nālandā University has subsequently established MoUs and academic collaborations with numerous universities and research institutes worldwide, as well as ICWA, IIPHG, ASI, ICCR, ISEAS, IIAS and CSIR.