Page 31 - EW August 2025

Expert Comment

New global education hub

opportunity

SANDEEP SEN SURYA H.K.

OR DECADES THE DEFAULT DESTINATION OF The new age of American uncertainty
international students, the United States is begin-
ning to lose its halo, especially in aspirational Indian coincides with a quiet but determined
Fhouseholds. Recent deportations of Indian students revolution in India’s higher education
from American airports, often without legitimate cause or
clarity and forcible vetting of incoming students’ social me- ecosystem. Several new genre private
dia accounts, have injected fear and anger within India’s universities have emerged as acceptable
expanding middle class. As political winds shift, parents
and students are beginning to wonder whether degrees and alternatives
certification issued by American universities are worth the
time, money and effort. nationalisation of higher education. It invites foreign univer-
Fortuitously, the new age of American uncertainty coin- sities to establish campuses in India and encourages Indian
cides with a quiet but determined revolution happening in institutions to think global. But while NEP 2020 provides
India’s higher education ecosystem. New genre private uni- direction, it cannot replace implementation. For India to
versities — Nayanta, Jindal, FLAME, Krea, Ashoka, Anant, emerge as a true education hub, several structural issues
Plaksha, Bennett and Shiv Nadar — have emerged as domes- need to be urgently addressed.
tic alternatives. Under highly competitive leaders (see EW Chief among them is the need for a streamlined and
July) they are actively reshaping the higher education land- transparent visa and admission process for international
scape with their focus on research, academic freedom, and students. Bureaucratic friction deters talent. So does lack
interdisciplinary learning. With faculty drawn from around of global branding. The best Indian universities still suffer
the world, international partnerships, and student-centered from a quality perception gap, especially beyond South Asia.
pedagogies, India’s new genre, globally benchmarked uni- eyond academics and economics, internationalisation of
versities are beginning to provide the high-quality education BIndian higher education offers immense foreign policy
that pull Indian students West. and soft power potential. When students from neighbouring
These varsities have the potential to become not just and partner countries spend formative years studying, liv-
national icons, but regional anchors, attracting talent from ing, and collaborating in India, they are likely to depart not
across South, East & Southeast Asia, and Africa. But this only with degrees but with deep-rooted ties to this country’s
leap will only happen when India begins to see itself not just culture, people, and values. These alumni are potential poli-
as an exporter of students, but as a destination for the best cymakers, business leaders, academics, and changemakers
and brightest from neighbouring countries. in their home nations — carrying with them a lasting affinity
There are several reasons why this vision is achievable. for India.
First, Indian higher education offers strong academic learn- According to the Union Ministry of Education’s All India
ing at a fraction of the cost of studying in the US, Canada, Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), over 48,000 interna-
UK and Australia. In engineering, medicine, and liberal arts, tional students from more than 160 countries were studying
India’s top-ranked universities provide rigorous programs in India in 2022-23, with the majority from Nepal, Afghani-
that are increasingly being recognised by global employers stan, Bangladesh, and several African nations. While still a
and graduate schools. fraction compared to Western host countries, this number
Second, for students in Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri presents enormous opportunity for growth.
Lanka, and many African nations, India offers a cultural Education diplomacy has long been a strength of the US
and linguistic familiarity that eases transition. English is the and UK, whose Fulbright, Rhodes, and Chevening scholars
medium of instruction, Indian campuses are diverse and are now in leadership positions worldwide. China has also
vibrant, and India’s geographical proximity to home offers introduced international programs like Yenching fellows
reassurance and convenience. and Shwarzman scholars, building alumni communities
Third, India itself is becoming the story. With the world’s in pursuit of global influence. India has pathways like the
fastest-growing large economy and an expanding tech and Young India Fellowship, Teach for India Fellowship, and
innovation ecosystem, studying here can lead to valuable Jagriti Yatra, but they rarely attract foreign talent.
post-graduation job opportunities — both within India and If our higher education can meet these challenges head-
around the world. Lastly, the rise of India’s edtech platforms on, India could once again become a global learning hub. In
and digital infrastructure enable hybrid and remote learning a globalised world where the West is becoming increasingly
models, making Indian education more accessible to those isolationist, India has a new chance to position itself as the
who may not have the resources or freedom to travel abroad intellectual and innovation hub of the world.
for extended periods.
Policy, too, is beginning to catch up with potential. The (Sandeep Sen is founder of Action Learning Labs, Delhi and Surya H.K. is
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has mandated inter- visiting faculty, Salzburg Academy of Media & Global Change, Austria)

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