THE GIST
The countries of the Global North embarked on a massive expansion of higher education in the post-Second World War years to accommodate the growing number of young people headed to college.
Universities in all “big four” host countries – Australia, Canada, the UK and the US — have become financially reliant in varying degrees on international students.
India’s young population and a relatively low but steadily rising gross enrolment ratio of just under 30% offers immense opportunities.
Foreign यूनिवर्सिटी केंपस इन इंडिया
Several foreign universities are setting up branch campuses in India.
अभी हाल फिलहाल में क्या स्थिति है ?
So far seven universities from the U.K., five from Australia, and one each from the U.S., Italy and Canada are in the process of obtaining necessary approvals or have done so already.
Most of them ?
Most will be located in GIFT City and Navi Mumbai.
भारत में कबसे हो रहा था इंतजार ?
While India has been interested in attracting foreign universities for more than a decade,
the 2020 New Education Policy (NEP) revived it
the government subsequently approved the UGC (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023 (FHEI).
Why are foreign universities coming?
क्या था कारण ?
बच्चों में कमी फेस करना ?
over the time, however, with falling birth rates, domestic enrolments started to plateau and then fall.
इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर और ह्यूमन कैपिटल में खर्चा
By the early 21st century, the physical infrastructure and human capital of higher education institutions (HEIs) was too large for the diminishing numbers.
सरकार की तरफ से कम सपोर्ट मिलना
This, along with cuts in public spending on higher education, started to create financial challenges.
Solution
The solution was found in admitting larger numbers of international students who could be charged substantially higher tuition fees.
In 2023, international students represented
- 22% of total enrolments at U.K.’s universities,
- 24% in Australia
- and 30% in Canada.
- US : Though only 6% of enrolments at U.S. universities are international students, they make up for 27% of students at Ivy League schools.
Universities in all “big four” host countries –
Australia, Canada, the U.K. and the U.S. — have become financially reliant in varying degrees on international students.
But some problems that face University
Australia and Canada have capped their international student numbers. In the U.K., new rules introduced in 2024 reduced the number of student visa applications.
These restrictions are hurting universities. Redundancies have become widespread in the U.K., Australia and Canada. Therefore, many universities are looking to India to compensate for the reduced numbers of international students at their home campuses and to diversify their revenue sources
What are some of the challenges?
Young population and Enrollment ratio
India’s young population and a relatively low but steadily rising gross enrolment ratio of just under 30% offers immense opportunities.
However, branch campuses in other parts of the world — in China, Southeast Asia, and West and Central Asia — have a mixed record. There are several instances where they have lost money and exited. India will not be a walk in the park either.
First, India’s higher education market is large in terms of student numbers — 40 million+ — but smaller in terms of the cost that an average student or family can afford. However, India is a growing economy and in the coming years, more people will be able to afford a relatively expensive college education. Second, India lacks a sufficient number of good quality HEIs. Beyond a small number of public and even fewer private institutions, the majority are average to mediocre. Branch campuses will offer better quality education than the majority of HEIs. Third, while many Indians aim to study abroad in order to emigrate, there are others who intend to work in India. Branch campuses will offer these students the option of a foreign degree at home.
The immediate to medium term impact of branch campuses can be expected to be limited. Even if a dozen or two of them are set up, their total student intake will be small. The response of Indian students to branch campuses in the first few years will be crucial to what happens next.
Pushkar is director, the International Centre Goa (Goa), Dona Paula.
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