Vineet

Why the Global Student Mobility Map Is Changing, According to Vineet Gupta Ashoka University Founder For much of the last three decades, international student mobility followed a relatively predictable pattern. Students seeking a global education largely gravitated towards four dominant destinations: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Together, these countries became the preferred choices for generations of Indian students seeking international exposure, research opportunities, post-study work options, and global careers. Today, that dominance is being challenged due to two contradictory trends. On the one hand, some countries including the big four above are facing pressure from within on allowing immigration of foreigners into their own countries and on the other hand, many countries, with aging populations and aspirations of economic growth, want to attract global talent. According to UNESCO, the number of internationally mobile students has grown from approximately 2 million in 2000 to more than 6.4 million today. What was once a concentrated market has evolved into a highly competitive global ecosystem, with many countries increasingly viewing international students as future talent and economic contributors. This shift is reshaping the geography of global education. The United States remains the world’s leading destination, hosting more than 1.1 million international students. Indian students have now become the largest international cohort in the country, crossing 363,000 enrolments in 2024-25. Yet fresh student intake has shown signs of moderation amid continuing discussions around immigration policies, visa processing, and work authorisation. The UK faces a similar challenge. Its universities continue to rank among the world’s best and remain highly attractive to international applicants. However, recent restrictions on dependant visas and discussions around tightening post-study work pathways have introduced new variables into decision-making for prospective students and their families. In the year ending June 2025, the UK granted 431,725 sponsored study visas, 18 percent fewer than the previous year, with dependant numbers falling sharply after policy changes. Canada, which built much of its international education success on a welcoming immigration framework, has experienced perhaps the most visible disruption. New caps on study permits and broader efforts to manage temporary migration have altered perceptions among applicants, particularly from South Asia. Canada approved only 75,372 new study permits in 2025, a 64 percent year-on-year decline, showing how quickly student sentiment can respond to regulatory changes. Australia remains an important part of the traditional big four, particularly for students seeking strong academic outcomes and post-study work opportunities. However, it too has moved towards tighter scrutiny of international admissions and visa approvals. This has made Australia attractive but more carefully evaluated, especially as students and families compare costs, employability outcomes, and long-term migration clarity. Yet the most important development is not what is happening in these traditional destinations. It is what is happening elsewhere. Germany has emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries of this shift. The number of Indian students in Germany has more than doubled over the past five years, rising from approximately 29,000 in 2020 to 59,419 in the 2024-25 winter semester. Strong engineering programmes, affordable tuition, research depth, and clear pathways into Europe’s largest economy have strengthened its appeal. France has set a target of hosting 30,000 Indian students by 2030, up from roughly 10,000 currently, while expanding English-language programmes and simplifying access pathways. Ireland is benefiting from its position as a European technology hub, with strong demand in software, data, finance, and life sciences. Dubai has positioned itself as a regional education hub with campuses of globally recognised institutions and the advantage of proximity to India. New Zealand is seeing renewed momentum after the pandemic, with Indian enrolments rising from 7,930 in 2023 to 10,640 between January and August 2024 alone. Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong are also gaining attention as Asia becomes more central to global talent flows, supported by strong research, innovation, and employment ecosystems. According to Vineet Gupta, Founder of Ashoka University and Co-founder of Jamboree Education, the global mobility story is increasingly becoming a story of diversification rather than migration away from any particular country. “What we are witnessing is a redistribution of mobility across a large number of credible and emerging destinations. While the big four still attract the largest number of students in terms of absolute numbers, new emerging destinations are cornering away sizeable share.” Gupta said. For years, discussions around overseas education largely revolved around university rankings and academic reputation. Today, students are evaluating entire national ecosystems. Factors such as labour market demand, visa stability, demographic trends, research opportunities, cost of living, and post-study work options are becoming as important as institutional prestige. This transformation is also being driven by economic realities. Several developed nations face ageing populations and growing shortages of highly skilled workers. Germany estimates it requires hundreds of thousands of skilled migrants annually to sustain economic growth. Similar concerns exist across parts of Europe, Australia, and East Asia. International students increasingly represent a critical pipeline for addressing these workforce gaps. Gupta believes this is fundamentally changing how governments approach international education. “Twenty years ago, countries competed primarily through the strength of their universities. Today, they are competing through the strength of their opportunity ecosystems. Students are evaluating where they can build a career, not just where they can earn a degree,” he noted. International education has become a strategic instrument of economic policy and talent acquisition. Countries that can successfully combine academic excellence with employment opportunities and policy consistency are likely to gain a significant advantage in the years ahead. For Indian students, this evolution is creating more options than ever before. The era when four countries dominated global aspirations is gradually giving way to a more diverse landscape where multiple destinations are competing for the world’s brightest minds. The future of student mobility will likely be defined not by where students can study, but by where they can build meaningful careers.

Vineet Gupta Ashoka University Founder: Strengthening Research in Indian Universities with Global Models and Innovation Expanding Research Capabilities in India For Indian universities to enhance their global standing and drive meaningful innovation, strengthening research infrastructure is a crucial priority. Many institutions are now realizing the need to elevate their research standards, adopting successful models from leading universities worldwide while also embracing resource-efficient strategies. Vineet Gupta, Founder of Ashoka University, emphasizes that a two-pronged approach—learning from established global research institutions and fostering frugal innovation—can help bridge the gap and position India as a leader in higher education and research. Diversifying Research Funding: Lessons from Global Universities One of the key differentiators for top research universities, particularly in the United States, is the diverse sources of funding that support cutting-edge innovation. Unlike India, where government grants remain the predominant source of research funding, U.S. institutions leverage a combination of federal support, philanthropic donations, and industry partnerships to sustain their research ecosystem. Government Funding In the U.S., public universities benefit significantly from federal allocations for research and development (R&D). In 2022, the U.S. government allocated over $54 billion for scientific research, with more than 50% of university R&D expenditures funded by federal sources. The U.S. spends nearly 3% of its GDP on research, whereas India currently invests around 0.5%. Vineet Gupta of Ashoka University acknowledges the recent increase in government-backed research initiatives in India, including the establishment of the National Research Foundation (NRF) in 2023. “The NRF is a step in the right direction—it will centralize research funding and offer much-needed financial and institutional backing to Indian researchers, making innovation more structured and outcome-driven,” he states. Philanthropy and Endowments Philanthropy plays a significant role in research funding at leading U.S. institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, and MIT, where large endowments finance everything from faculty research to infrastructure development. Philanthropic organizations like the Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust have also played a crucial role in advancing research in critical areas such as healthcare and sustainability. Vineet Gupta highlights how philanthropy in Indian higher education has gained momentum in the past two decades. Institutions like Ashoka University and Plaksha University have pioneered the collective philanthropy model, with over 150 donors contributing to their development. “Philanthropy is no longer limited to infrastructure development; it can play a major role in supporting research funding, creating world-class labs, and encouraging breakthrough discoveries,” Gupta asserts. Industry Collaboration Globally, industry partnerships have become a cornerstone of research funding. Companies actively collaborate with universities to set up research hubs, as seen in Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, which hosts multiple joint labs, including: Alibaba-NTU Global e-Sustainability CorpLab HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Joint Lab Joint NTU-WeBank Research Centre on Fintech Vineet Gupta suggests that Indian institutions can adopt similar models by fostering partnerships with corporate players and aligning research objectives with industry needs. He adds, “The increasing focus on CSR funding for higher education is another opportunity that universities can leverage for research funding.” International Research Funding Models and Their Relevance to India While the U.S. leads in university research funding, European and UK-based models offer alternative strategies that could be beneficial for India. European Research Council (ERC) The European Research Council (ERC) is one of the most influential funding bodies in Europe, supporting researchers through various grants, including: Starting Grants Consolidator Grants Advanced Grants Synergy Grants Operating under the Horizon Europe programme, ERC funds pioneering research across disciplines, offering a possible roadmap for Indian institutions to establish similar funding bodies for long-term research sustainability. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) The UKRI model, launched in 2018, integrates multiple research councils into a single funding system, streamlining research and innovation efforts across universities. “A unified approach to research funding, like UKRI, can help Indian universities consolidate research resources and increase their impact,” Gupta notes. Frugal Innovation: Leveraging India’s Strengths While India may not match the U.S. or Europe in research funding yet, frugal innovation has emerged as a unique strength. The country has demonstrated world-class advancements in space technology (ISRO), digital payments (UPI), and IT services, all developed with cost-efficient models. Universities need to apply similar innovative principles to research, ensuring high-impact outcomes with optimized resources. Gupta believes Indian universities should focus on solving local challenges first before scaling up globally. “Research that directly addresses climate resilience, healthcare, agriculture, and digital infrastructure in India will have far-reaching benefits, ensuring that resources are utilized effectively,” he adds. Building a Research-Driven Culture in Indian Universities For research ecosystems to thrive, cultural transformation within universities is just as important as funding. This includes: Strong Mentorship Networks A robust mentorship ecosystem helps cultivate research talent. Faculty mentorship programs should be designed to guide students in research methodologies, proposal writing, and grant applications. “Students are inspired by faculty-led research. Universities must invest in structured mentorship programs to nurture the next generation of researchers,” Vineet Gupta emphasizes. Infrastructure Investment State-of-the-art laboratories, libraries, and digital research tools are crucial for enabling groundbreaking discoveries. Many Indian universities still lack adequate research infrastructure, limiting their potential in global academia. “Investing in research facilities and digital collaboration tools will help students and faculty engage in high-impact, cross-border research partnerships,” says Gupta. Technological Integration Digital platforms can streamline research processes, enhance collaborations, and facilitate global academic partnerships. “Technology-driven research tools, such as AI-powered data analytics and cloud-based research collaboration platforms, will revolutionize higher education research in India,” Gupta asserts. The Road Ahead: Envisioning a Research-Driven Future For India to establish itself as a global hub for research and innovation, universities must: Expand research funding sources through government support, philanthropy, and industry collaborations. Foster frugal innovation, leveraging India’s strengths in cost-effective, scalable solutions. Build a strong research culture, emphasizing mentorship, infrastructure, and technological integration. As Vineet Gupta, Founder of Ashoka University, puts it, “With the right funding strategies, industry collaborations, and research-driven mindset, Indian universities can leapfrog into the global innovation landscape, driving both national and international progress.” Source: Zee News India