NEW College Nottingham is to set up a campus in India.

It will be the first vocational training academy of its kind in India and is being established in response to the country's skills shortage at almost every level of its economy.

The college has signed an agreement to oversee the running of the campus in a suburb of New Delhi.

It is hoped the New College Nottingham International Lifestyles Academy will be up and running by September.

The college is working with business firm the Batra Group to run the academy, which will have room for up to 1,000 students.

The academy will initially teach courses in hospitality, retail and logistics, media and fashion, and will also offer teacher training and advanced English language provision.

Adrian Pratt, director of lifestyles at the college, said: "This agreement has been 18 months in the making but it is a very exciting time for us.

"It will target providing more skills for people in India, while New College Nottingham will benefit a lot from it."

The college is following in the footsteps of the University of Nottingham in setting up an overseas campus.

The university currently has successful bases in China and Malaysia.

The college has identified two existing buildings in New Delhi and eventually they will decide on which one they will use. Rent costs will be covered by Batra Group.

Staff and students from the college will have the opportunity to go on exchange trips.

The deal was finalised on Tuesday.

It is believed enhancing the technical skills of 500 million people over the next ten years remains one of the biggest challenges to support India's Economic Growth Strategy.

Nick Whitehouse, New College Nottingham dean of higher education and international development, said: "We are proud to be working in partnership with colleagues from the long-established and highly respected Batra Group on this innovative project which is a milestone in our strategy to develop international vocational education.

"Our academy model has the potential to be replicated across India."

Dhruv Batra, director of the Batra Group, said: "The Batra Group has been a front runner in providing education to deserving learners in India over the last few decades.

"The International Lifestyles Academy will attempt to create a platform that will infuse international academic standards and best practices to link together Indian industry and education."