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For years, sending children abroad for higher education has been a dream for the Indian middle class, often requiring families to withdraw their life savings or take out huge loans for extended periods. There are already hundreds of thousands of Indian students going abroad for education, spending billions of dollars in other countries. It seems like a problem to the Indian Ministry of Education, and they are trying to stop it. With the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Indian Government has now allowed 15 foreign Higher Educational Institutions (FHEIs) to have their campuses in India.
According to the newest infographics released by the Department of Higher Education, it seems like it will not simply be a bureaucratic formalism, but rather a disruptive change to the Indian education system that will be advantageous for its students and teachers.
The Financial Revolution for Students
According to the most impressive statistic provided by the Ministry, education abroad is very costly, and this will no longer be the case. Considering the new policies being introduced, global universities will be able to construct campuses where their educational fees will be reduced by 18%-74% in comparison to the costs charged at their campuses abroad.
The average family benefits greatly. The expensive international housing in cities like London or Melbourne, skyrocketing visa application costs, and inflated living costs abroad drive world-class degrees even further out of reach of the average family. World-class education, while elite until recently, is now realistically within the reach of brilliant domestic students, and will no longer force them to compromise.
Crowded Classrooms: The Academic Upgrade
The academic system also needs addressing. One of the biggest complaints of the Indian higher education system is the disproportionate student-to-faculty ratio. It has resulted in teaching over 100 students at a time in large lecture halls.
New international campuses will be regulated by the highly structured UGC FHEI Regulations 2023, and will be forced to maintain student-to-faculty ratios of between 12:1 and 25:1. For students, this will result in a great deal of classroom learning in the style of seminars. Students will have more opportunities to be mentored and have significantly greater access to faculty in specialized classrooms.
A Very Competitive Teaching Job Market
While the majority of the public sing praises for what the changes in the market will do to improve opportunities for students, there are aspects of this development that the academic and teaching community needs to be mindful of. The opening of 15 foreign universities will create a very competitive new job market for Indian academics.
For the foreign universities to be successful, they cannot sustain their businesses on hiring expatriate staff. To survive, they need to hire good-quality local staff. The Ministry's instructions state "world-class education and research opportunities," and therefore, these foreign universities will be bringing advanced research and development infrastructures and models of research in India. For local researchers, this is an opportunity to pursue high-level international research without having to travel abroad.
Consequently, this development will put a lot of pressure on India's existing universities. In order to keep their best staff, India's universities will need to improve faculty pay and grants. Research will need to be made easier and the working environment will need to be made more staff-friendly.
The Road Ahead
Internationalisation of higher education has advanced beyond a desire for NEP 2020. It's actively happening. India's welcoming of 15 foreign universities suggests a greater commitment to developing India into an educational hub by implementing structured 2023 regulations.
Teachers and students will experience benefits as competition from increased foreign investment will raise the standard of the education system.
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