Is India poised to rival US universities in a global academic shift?

As US visa changes worry Asian students, India sees a chance to boost education, research, and economic growth amid shifting global academic dynamics

The recent US decision to pause student visa interviews for enhanced social media vetting has increased anxiety among Asian students, who once viewed American universities as key pathways to global career opportunities.

International students have been facing deportations for taking part in political protests to trivial offences such as traffic violations, dimming the allure of the American dream. Cuts to federal research grants have also driven students and academics to seek opportunities abroad.

Other countries such as France and Canada have jumped into the fray to bring top academic talent from America to their shores – similar to how global companies compete to bring aboard highly-skilled professionals to give them an edge.

For Asian countries such as India, which have struggled for decades to staunch the flow of top scientific and technological talent to America and other western nations, the churn in America’s educational and research institutions, represents a historic opportunity.

“The US has long led the world in higher education and public research funding. It is now destroying one of its greatest strengths,” said Naushad Forbes, chairman of the non-profit Ananta Aspen Centre, describing the worsening conditions as one of the most significant acts of self harm in history.

India has the student and faculty talent available. “We have to take advantage of the situation,” Forbes said, underscoring that intensive efforts are needed in research and development by tapping into academic talent offers the potential to leapfrog in economic growth.

The developments in America have come amid an internal debate in India about whether it has surpassed Japan to become the fourth-largest economy or will do so by year-end, according to the International Monetary Fund. However, these discussions may seem meaningless, as many people still face underemployment.

Only a significant transformation of the educational system can truly harness India’s potential, reaping its long-touted demographic dividend from having the world’s largest pool of young people.

The situation in India resembles that of many other Southeast Asian nations, which are working to strengthen their academic foundations but still have significant progress to make, Forbes said.

Earlier this week, Hong Kong welcomed students who faced “discriminatory and unfair treatment” under Washington’s attempted ban on Harvard University’s international student enrolment, while Japan had urged its universities to offer places to such students.

But only a few economies in Asia – such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong – have the capacity to offer something similar to students who are looking for a world-class educational and scope for pursuing cutting edge research.

India has taken tentative steps to build up its education system.

Two years ago, India’s University Grants Commission permitted foreign universities to establish campuses in the country, leading to a handful of private universities offering a global curriculum and providing students with more options for studying abroad.

But many state-run colleges are overcrowded and require students to take mandatory courses with little practical relevance, according to academics. They also note the culture of fostering research and development in the country – which fuelled America’s rise – falls far short.

India has made progress by establishing the Anusandhan National Research Foundation, a high-level apex body created by an Act of Parliament to provide strategic direction for research and innovation. However, these initiatives are still in the early stages of development.

The importance of establishing world-class education systems is particularly pertinent for India, recognised as an IT powerhouse. As artificial intelligence is poised to transform the landscape of traditional software services, demand is likely to shift toward innovative products and services.

That will require massively upskilling its young workforce and establishing platforms for collaboration between research laboratories, universities, and start-ups, as well as providing students with hands-on training in real-world projects, experts said.

The bottom line is that education systems should cultivate a culture of excellence instead of settling for ordinary learning – a recurring theme in many Asian countries. The important question is whether they will take advantage of this opportunity to establish a new standard, or if they will lag behind in a changing economic landscape.