INDIA'S PATH TO INTERNATIONALISED HIGHER EDUCATION

BY EMBRACING INTERNATIONALISATION, INDIA IS NURTURING FUTURE LEADERS WITH THE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND CROSS-CULTURAL COMPETENCIES. OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO COMMIT TO FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO INTERNATIONALISATION AND CHANGING THIS PERSISTENT NARRATIVE THAT ONE MUST GO OVERSEAS TO ACCESS QUALITY HIGHER EDUCATION

- DR SUBHAS SARKAR

INDIA is now home to over 38 million students studying in about 50,000 academic institutions, including 1,100 universities, making it the second-largest higher education system globally. In the last decade, India has improved its position in the World University Rankings as well, with a total of 66 Indian universities cumulatively achieving 355 entries (an 18.7% increase in comparison to last year), making India the second most represented country in Asia in the QS World University Rankings, 2023. Despite this fact, its representation in international rankings has immense potential for development.

An increasing number of Indian students seek educational opportunities abroad, emphasising the importance of expanding internationalisation efforts at home. Year after year, a rising number of students travel abroad for education. About 7,50,000 students have travelled abroad to pursue higher education in 2022 alone.

Considered a watershed moment in India’s educational system, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, approved by the Union government on 29th July 2020, aims to revolutionise the country’s education system. Designed to cater to the diverse needs of learners, NEP 2020 addresses crucial aspects of education such as access, equity, quality, and internationalisation. As we celebrate its third anniversary, it is imperative to highlight the remarkable progress made in the internationalisation of higher education and its significance in today’s globalised world.