How overseas learning aspirations of students unfolding

In a country like ours, one of the most common ambitions fostered by students is venturing overseas for higher education. The sense of accomplishment that one feels after gaining admission into a foreign university of their choice is unparalleled. Many Indian parents nurture the desire to send their children abroad for higher studies. While the process involves numerous steps and formal procedures, it became more complicated in recent years with the advent of the global pandemic.

Due to several restrictions and lockdowns, the study abroad plans of many students were thwarted as the global health crisis seemingly eclipsed the international educational aspirations of countless Indian students. However, many students who stood their ground and persevered in the face of adversity managed to gain admission into their preferred institution abroad. Now, as the effects of the pandemic slowly recede and things return to normalcy, the foreign education engine has started roaring again. With the opportunity to study in a world-class university up for grabs again, the global learning dreams of Indian students have re-emerged in the post-pandemic milieu.

With the gradual unlocking of policies, the relaxation of travel restrictions, and the lifting of vaccination procedures, Students from all over the country have been strongly encouraged to reconsider their decision to study abroad Destinations like the US, UK, and Canada are witnessing pre-Covid figures in terms of educational aspirants intending to study in institutions across these regions.

If we look at the data collected by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), about 2.6 lakh students from India made it abroad in 2020, in contrast to 5.9 lakh students in 2019. While in 2021, a total of 71,769 Indians ventured overseas to study abroad. As per another report, it has been estimated that the number of Indian students who choose to study abroad is rising annually. According to the latest Higher Education Abroad report by consulting firm RedSeer, the overarching national expenditure towards studying overseas is slated to surge from the current annual $28 billion to a whopping $80 billion by 2024. In other words, the future of the study abroad market does seem bright and promising.

The report further states that the number of Indian students who opted for higher education abroad rose from 440,000 in 2016 to 770,000 in 2019 and is set to multiply to around 1.8 million by 2024, leading to an increase in overseas spending on higher education. The US embassy has also claimed that in 2021 it has authorized more students from India to study in the States than ever before. As per the U.S. embassy, over 55,000 students and exchange visitors have entered the United States to pursue their overseas learning ambitions in 2021. This trend is likely to continue in the present times as more and more students are being approved to chase their dream of studying in the US. Other countries which are attracting Indian students in huge numbers include the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, etc.

It is essential to understand that this globalization of universities as an educational learning process transcends all classical definitions regarding the same. The pandemic has also proved that academic programs and collaborations can be synergistically intertwined in a 'virtual internationalization' of sorts. This entails that on-campus students will now have the chance to engage virtually with their peers at a number of international universities and professionals in their respective academic fields. Studying overseas is undoubtedly one of the most sought-after undertakings in the modern-day higher education paradigm amongst Indian students. In the post-pandemic era, it has become imperative that Higher education institutions around the world embrace the same agility that business schools have positioned successfully over the years. The most prestigious business schools across the have transformed their business models to lure 'mid-career students' from an expansive range of industries and intersections. They have continued to address the various needs of students by engaging with a wide surfeit of professions, corporations, and market demands. It is perhaps time for large universities and colleges across other tangents to follow suit.

(The author is the CEO & Founder, iSchoolConnect)