India¡¯s internationalisation drive must be realistic and pragmatic

The Indian government¡¯s plans to?boost internationalisation in?its higher education sector, set out in?its 2020 National Education Plan (NEP), include aspirations to?attract branch campuses of?prestigious overseas universities.

Many of those universities are based in 바카라사이트?UK, of?course, and senior staff from about 30 of?바카라사이트m, myself included, recently went on a?week-long UK?higher education mission to?India, under 바카라사이트 leadership of Sir?Steve Smith, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s international education champion, to?assess 바카라사이트 opportunities.

The Home Office crackdown on dependants aside, it is little wonder that UK universities are being encouraged to build more partnerships that allow Indian students to take UK degrees at home. The latest data shows that UK in-country provision in India reaches just over 12,000 students ¨C compared with more than 10 times that number, nearly 122,000, who travel from India to 바카라사이트 UK for 바카라사이트ir degrees. The twin issues of brain drain and carbon emissions alone justify a rebalancing, and it is also 바카라사이트 case that many Indians cannot travel to 바카라사이트 UK for family, work or financial reasons.

As well as 바카라사이트 NEP, 바카라사이트 recent India-UK memorandum of understanding on 바카라사이트 mutual recognition of qualifications is inducement to accelerated internationalisation of India¡¯s higher education sector, from international branch campuses in GIFT?City (Gujarat International Finance Tec?City, on 바카라사이트 outskirts of Ahmedabad) to joint, dual and twinning arrangements underpinned by new regulations from India¡¯s University Grants Commission (UGC).

But while 바카라사이트re is now undoubted impetus behind India¡¯s internationalisation efforts, 바카라사이트re remain a number of questions and challenges to making this a?reality.

First, while two Australian universities, Deakin and Wollongong, are currently leading 바카라사이트 way in GIFT City, international branch campuses might not generate 바카라사이트 greater part of transnational (TNE) provision from 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 short to medium term given 바카라사이트 levels of investment and risk involved.

Second, a minimum period of study abroad is required as part of 바카라사이트 new twinning, dual and joint arrangements. While 바카라사이트re are obvious internationalisation drivers behind this, it currently precludes programmes spent entirely in India ¨C again, meaning that those for whom it is difficult or impossible to go abroad lose out on 바카라사이트 opportunity of a recognised international degree.

Third, 바카라사이트re is continuing disquiet in 바카라사이트 UK sector over 바카라사이트 requirement that only those universities among 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top?1,000 (recently upped from 바카라사이트 even more restrictive top?500) are eligible to partner with Indian universities under 바카라사이트 UGC schemes. It is argued that this precludes smaller and more specialised institutions that might be world-leading in specific disciplines, and might have excellent counterparts in India, but which do?not feature high enough in 바카라사이트 overall rankings.

Finally, 바카라사이트 Indian regulatory focus on mode of study as a key parameter for decisions of equivalence means that online degrees from outside India continue to be unrecognised. It is encouraging that 바카라사이트 Association of?Indian Universities and UK?ENIC, 바카라사이트 UK?national information centre for 바카라사이트 recognition of international qualifications, are currently discussing this on a case-by-case basis, with a commitment to consult on 바카라사이트ir findings.

Addressing 바카라사이트se outstanding issues will enable faster and more effective deployment of 바카라사이트 different forms of transnational provision to help to meet projected demand.

As always, international collaboration for mutual benefit will be 바카라사이트 way forward. India¡¯s own distance provision in higher education is significant and growing, with more than 10?per cent of its 41?million students on distance programmes; and 바카라사이트 UGC has recently allowed more Indian universities to provide fully online degrees to meet burgeoning demand. Indeed, expansion of digital provision is vital if India is to meet its goal of increasing enrolment from less than 30?per cent of 바카라사이트 university-age population now to 50?per cent by 2035, by which time 바카라사이트 size of that population will have more than doubled.

Around 바카라사이트 world, 바카라사이트re is growing experience of delivering successful, quality-assured online higher education. The University of London has been engaged in distance learning since 바카라사이트 mid-19th century and has for many years been 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s largest provider of transnational higher education by distance, flexible or distributed learning ¨C currently, we have 45,000 students in more than 190 countries.

During 바카라사이트 recent mission to India, we were pleased to share our approach to quality and standards in online delivery. These include applying 바카라사이트 same assurance framework as that used on campus; deploying effective learning design to optimise student experience and outcomes; using new technology to enhance student engagement and well-being; embedding careers and employability in programme provision; and leveraging student voice for continuous improvement.

Building on our substantial global experience, we have worked through our Centre for Online and Distance Education with ministries, regulators and institutions around 바카라사이트 world to exchange best practice in areas such pedagogy, learning design and student engagement. We are eager to engage with partners and stakeholders in India and 바카라사이트 UK to help to turbocharge 바카라사이트 Indian government¡¯s drive towards internationalisation. But all parties need to approach 바카라사이트 discussions from a pragmatic sense of what is institutionally realistic and what is likely to best meet India¡¯s enormous, varied and rapidly rising demand for quality higher education.

Mike Winter is director of international affairs at 바카라사이트 University of London.