India’s business schools need to get creative to attract international students

In the International India study, which interviewed 4,160 prospective students from 22 countries, 79 per cent said they were open to considering international study, but only eight per cent view India as a likely study destination.

The report points to several perceived barriers among international students to studying in India. Fundamentally, there is a lack of awareness, with a third (33 per cent) of respondents relaying that they were not aware of any good Indian business schools. A fifth (21 per cent) would rather study in another country, 19 per cent think there are not enough scholarships for international students, while 17 per cent said they would not be comfortable living in India while studying.

“Despite the rapid growth of the Indian economy and the increasing prominence of its business schools, international students are rare, especially compared to the traditional education powerhouses of Europe, Australia and North America,” commented Carrington Crisp co-founder Andrew Crisp, the author of the study.

“The major issue is a lack of brand awareness, as well as a lack of understanding of the advantages and benefits of studying in India.”

The study points to several advantages that Indian business schools can build on to attract more international students. Respondents were asked about their perceptions of nine countries, with India (50 per cent) perceived as second only to the US as having a strong and dynamic economy (52 per cent). Of the nine countries, India (57 per cent) is perceived as the most welcoming to international students and the easiest destination to obtain a visa for study (56 per cent).

In addition, nearly half of the respondents (45 per cent) would consider studying in India because of the excellent value for business degrees compared to other countries. Over two-fifths (41 per cent) of respondents relay that India is relatively close to where they live, so travel would be affordable. The largest groups who would consider India as a study destination are from Nigeria (18 per cent), followed by the UAE (15 per cent) and South Africa (15 per cent).

While the data points to some reticence amongst international students to study in India, it also reveals an appetite to sample and try Indian business education in different formats. Offered a series of four options that involved partial study at an Indian business school, each was deemed very or extremely attractive by more than 70 per cent of study respondents.

The formats proposed were:

•     A joint degree between an Indian business school and a business school in my home country (82 per cent)

•     Studying for only one module (a maximum of three months) at an Indian business school (76 per cent)

•     Two or three two-week courses at one or more Indian business schools as part of my degree (76 per cent)

•     A joint degree between an Indian business school and a business school in another country, other than my home (73 per cent)

“Creating partnerships with institutions in other countries is a big opportunity for Indian business schools, enabling them to build brand awareness with international students, communicating the benefits of studying in India and showcasing the quality of their offer,” concluded Crisp.