Indian students explore new shores

[Sourav]

C Jayanthi

Non-traditional markets for higher education are catching the fancy of Indian students

Career aspirants in India are increasingly finding non-traditional markets for higher education the best option after the ‘must-reach’ destinations like the US, the UK and Germany. Easy work permits, relatively low study fees, need for manpower and aggressive hawking have effectively combined for Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Singapore and New Zealand to catch the fancy of Indian students.

The students’ traffic to Ireland is getting thicker by the year. In 2005, the number of Indian students in Ireland was 571. The next year, it was 874. The trend has prompted Irish higher education institutions to hold regular road shows in India. Says Gabriel McCarrick, commercial counsellor, Irish Embassy, New Delhi, “They (Indian students) are allowed to stay back for six months in Ireland after completion of a full course. These six months allow them to work full-time and find a job that will then enable them to apply for a green card or a work permit.” The cost of living in Ireland and in other parts of the UK works out to be the same at 7,000 pounds. The tuition fee averages between 7,000 pounds and 12,000 pounds. But the easy work permit rules in Ireland make a telling difference.

Similar is the case with Scotland but the hunt for more students follows fears that its population will plunge to less than 5 million people by 2017. Clearly, the Scottish government is out to get “bright, talented and hard-working people who can make a positive contribution to Scotland’s economy”. This is according to the Fresh Talent & the Relocation Advisory Service of the Scottish government.

The talent initiative lets students apply for work and stay in Scotland for two years after completing a study course without having to get a work permit. Scotland’s budget sets over 700 million pounds every year for higher education, and part of which is research work.

Much away from the English Isles, a non-European non-American destination is making its presence felt in the sphere of higher education. Canada today is a destination that is becoming increasingly favourite with international students. Canada has 5,000-7,000 Indian students, according to industry experts. Canadian degrees are equivalent to US degrees. Including tuition and living costs, Canada would average $3,000 less than the US in terms of higher education spends.

Closer home is a destination climbing fast on the students’ list of priorities—Singapore. Industry experts say this nation of draconian civil laws is one of Asia’s premier education hubs, known for its management and culinary programmes. Singapore has a total of 70,000 foreign students and Indians are among the top five student communities with an annual growth of 21% in 2005. This is according to the Singapore Tourism Board, which organises career fairs. Cultural commonalities and subsidised education in Singapore are instant lures for Indians students. After finishing studies, most students here are granted a work permit for three years—industry-university linkages are strong enough to find work. The under-graduate courses cost Singapore $6,220-$7,700 and post-graduate courses Singapore $4,370- $2,500, clearly lower than the spends in well-known western education hubs. International students here can avail of the ministry of education’s tuition grants that allow over 50% subsidy.

New Zealand, too, has joined the fray. At present, New Zealand has over 3,000 Indian students. Educational institutes in this country offer courses in biotechnology, hospitality, veterinary sciences and healthcare among others at competitive costs. The introduction of the New Zealand Immigration Act has made it easier for overseas students to work in the country on completion of their courses.

Among other education markets, Australia has made a mark for itself. Australia has 27,661 Indian students. Tuition fees here range from $10,000 to $22,000, naturally lower than the UK’s and the US’s. Skilled graduates can apply for work in Australia from a period ranging from two to three years and can eventually apply for permanent residency. Says Henry AS Ledlie, chief executive and country director, IDP Education India Pvt Ltd, “This year, already 15,584 enrollments have taken place in the first 4 months and this growth is 95.8% higher compared with top enrollments in the first 4 months of 2006. With effect from September 1, 2007, international students will have an opportunity to apply for an 18-month, skilled-graduate (subclass 485) course to build on their skills and work experience. This visa will have unrestricted work rights.”

Using the education pathway, non-English-speaking European countries are also trying increasingly to attract Indian students and professionals. Experts say France is changing its attitude towards foreigners and professionals due to a manpower shortage that is affecting French companies’ performance. What makes it more interesting for Indian students in this country is that they can expect to be directly recruited by corporates soon after they complete a course.

Says Phillippe Martineau, attaché for scientific cooperation and higher education, French Embassy, “About 1,500 Indian students have been enrolled in the French higher education system this year. We work through 15 Alliance Francaises across India and 31 French tutors based in institutes of excellence all over the country. We organise and participate in events like the European higher education fair or the French Higher Education Week. European initiatives such as the highly successful Erasmus Mundus scholarships have also helped the effort.” He adds, “A student may stay for up to two years in France post-studies to validate a professional experience.” The French elite institutes of engineering, commerce and administration are turning out to be best bets for many Indians as study costs here range from 6,000-12,000 euros a year. Living costs in France and Germany range from Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 a month. Indian IT professionals are among the largest beneficiaries of the 75,000 German work permits, used to be called ‘Green cards’ once, issued every year. In Germany, currently there are 4,000 Indian students—a few years ago they numbered only 1,000—mainly in PG courses.

Says Apoorv Mahendru, education promotion manager, DAAD, New Delhi, “Partially (the growth in the number of students) is due to a better framework conditions in Germany—the introduction of masters and bachelors programmes, the English-medium of instructions and relaxation in employment norms. After completion of studies, students can stay for an additional year for work. Once suitable jobs are found, work permit for up to a maximum of five years can be granted.”

Even though El Dorados continue to spin a charming lure—the US has 76, 503 international students and the UK 19,221—there are now nations preparing to shed their ‘also-ran’ tags for a thicker slice of the global higher-education pie.

But what makes Indians chase overseas dreams, given the fact that the country is growing at a fast pace every which way? It’s just plain irony—India has 348 universities and 17, 625 colleges, the highest in the world, but that’s still not enough to cater for the needs of a burgeoning young population that has a finely tuned instinct for career success.