Why Foreign Collaborations With Indian Institutes Are Benefiting Students
Studying abroad is a dream for many Indian students. However, not many Indian students can afford education. To match this need gap, in 2016, the Ministry of HRD, Government of India made amendments to the UGC program to respond to the aspirational needs of students. The program aims to engage with Foreign Educational Institutions of repute, study in part in these institutions and acquire a formal recognition of this in the form of a degree.
With these guidelines, the floodgates opened. Indian universities now looked to partner with foreign institutions. Many universities found this opportunity to synergize their curriculum with leading institutions abroad.
Why do students want to join an institute that has a foreign collaboration? Many Indian students who were looking for a global experience, but could not afford the expensive fees of study abroad programs could now get the best of both worlds. Stay in India, while developing a global perspective with foreign collaborations.
So What is a Twinning Program?
The UGC guidelines stipulate that only top-level institutes will be granted permission to look for foreign collaborations. The education ministry wants to put checks and balances to ensure that world-class institutes join for collaboration, and create a perfect blend of international educational curriculum for local students.
The guidelines also state that students who sign up for this program should be provided the opportunity to study abroad for at least one semester for post-graduate degrees and two semesters for under-graduate degrees. This clause ensures that students benefit from global exposure.
Who Should Consider a Foreign Collaboration Program?
- 1. Any student who cannot afford to study or live abroad for a long term course.
- 2. Students who want to get global exposure without leaving the shores.
- 3. Students who have personal responsibilities, and family compulsions that don’t allow them the leeway to study abroad.
Foreign collaboration offers them an opportunity to view the world and experience the cultural and academic diversity that exists abroad.
How Will Students Benefit From Foreign Collaboration?
Till recently, foreign education was for the upper sections of the economy. The big band of middle-class India was left out, because of prohibitive costs. The government took cognizance of the matter, and how education plays a big role in the development of the economy. In a bid to bridge the class divide, the government has opened the door for foreign investment in Indian education. A gamut of opportunities has opened out to the lower sections of the society. While keeping with the standards of international education, foreign collaborations help Indian students access global education at half the price. With a twinning program, students get to develop a global personality. They get to participate in student exchange programs, learn about other cultures while still being home, and gain an enriching academic experience.
Why Local Institutes Should Tie Up With Foreign Institutes
Local universities benefit from foreign tie-ups with reputed foreign universities.
1. The Exchange of Intellectual Ideas
The healthy exchange of knowledge, insight, and information brings a wealth of know-how into the local institute. This creates a breeding ground for new ideas and research. Raises the bar for their internal faculty, and provides them an opportunity to interact with the brightest minds of the world.
2. Faculty interaction, and academic activities
Indian universities can help upgrade their training program for the faculty with the interaction with international faculty and administration. Also, academic activities help Indian universities design effective academic tools and activities to improve the curriculum.
3. Lucrative for Indian Students
More Indian students are looking forward to enrolling in such programs. However, universities must find an equal collaborator, where the local universities can gain the exchange. Partnering with foreign institutes also leverages the Indian institutes and they can charge a higher fee for the value-addition they bring to the table.
4. Access to a Richer and Diverse Breed of Students.
The exchange program attracts a targeted group of students who understand and value foreign education. This brings together a richer network of students, who in turn become brand ambassadors for the institute and create a rich and diverse student profile.
5. Better Campus Placement Results
Companies looking for students with a global education profile are happy to visit colleges offering collaborative courses for foreign education. Companies that are looking for candidates with global exposure prefer to go to institutes that offer foreign collaborated programs.
Why Foreign Universities Prefer to Liaison With Indian Institutes
So what brings the world’s best universities to India? Why would they want to be a part of a collaboration? More and more universities have begun to recognize the benefits of foreign collaboration.
1. A Cross-Cultural Exchange for Foreign Universities
It is a form of cross-cultural exchange that enriches both universities. Foreign institutes get to learn and understand about Indian cultures, ethos, environment, and business. It offers them a perspective on how things are done in other parts of the world.
2. Access to Local Talent
Some of the best minds don’t have the monetary support to explore study abroad options. They get left behind in an education system that is already skewed towards the richer class. Also, students learning abroad get to experience life in a different cultural setting.
The teachers have the opportunity to impart knowledge across their geographical boundaries. It is the mingling of minds and talent that enhances unique learning experiences.
How Does This Foreign Collaboration Benefit the Industry?
Of all the parties involved, the industry is the litmus test of foreign collaboration. Multinationals looking for local talent with a global perspective prefer students who have been educated in twinning programs. The enriching student exchange program also ensures that candidates have a real-life experience living abroad. At the same time, companies have to pay considerably less than their global counterparts, who recruit on foreign campuses. While paying in the local currency, companies can hire global managers at half the cost.
Universities that don’t match up to the accreditation guidelines set up by the Ministry of HRD, they don’t get to enjoy the benefits of foreign collaboration. As more universities improve their facilities and infrastructure to suitably impress the accreditation board, the education in India will see an uptick in its growth.
