Can India Become a Global Education Hub?
– Dr Ramakrishnan Raman, Vice Chancellor of Symbiosis International (Deemed University)
India today stands at an important turning point in its higher education journey. The implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), together with central and state government initiatives, has transformed India’s educational aspirations into an active programme aimed at building a global education hub.
Over the past few years, foreign universities have increasingly begun to evaluate India as a destination for expansion. Some international institutions have already established campuses, while others are preparing to enter the country. States such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana and Karnataka are competing to attract global universities through improved educational infrastructure and supportive policy incentives.
However, the presence of foreign universities alone will not be sufficient to establish India as a global education destination.
Beyond the Campus: What Students Really Choose
When students decide to study abroad, they consider many factors beyond a university’s reputation. They evaluate the entire ecosystem of a destination — including the country’s culture, safety, infrastructure, living conditions and post-study employment opportunities.
In most cases, students choose the country first and the university second.
India’s ambitions therefore require a broader perspective. Inviting foreign universities to establish campuses is an important and progressive step, but the global competitiveness of these institutions will also depend on the environment in which they operate.
Infrastructure: The Silent Determinant
World-class education requires world-class support systems.
Reliable roads, seamless public transport, uninterrupted power supply, high-speed internet connectivity, safe urban environments and accessible housing are not luxuries — they are prerequisites for a successful international education ecosystem.
Equally important is the availability of internships, industry exposure and employment opportunities after graduation. Students, especially international ones, look for pathways that connect education with careers. Without these linkages, even prestigious institutions may struggle to attract global talent.
If India aims to draw students not only from within the country but also from Asia, Africa and beyond, infrastructure development must progress alongside academic reforms.
The Urban Reality Check
India’s cities offer both opportunity and challenge.
Take Bengaluru, often referred to as India’s technology capital. In certain parts of the city, travelling a distance of five kilometres during peak hours can take close to an hour. While the city hosts world-class companies and institutions, urban mobility constraints significantly affect quality of life.
For international students and faculty accustomed to efficient urban systems, such challenges can influence decisions about studying or working in a location.
If logistical difficulties become part of everyday life, can India sustainably attract and retain top global universities and international students? This question deserves serious reflection.
Policy Vision vs Ground Reality
The NEP has laid a strong policy foundation — greater autonomy, international collaboration, multidisciplinary learning and openness to foreign institutions. These reforms signal India’s intent to integrate with the global education ecosystem.
Yet policy vision must translate into governance efficiency and urban transformation. Becoming a global education hub requires coordination across multiple ministries and stakeholders, including:
• Education policy reforms
• Urban planning and transport development
• Digital infrastructure expansion
• Ease of living for students and faculty
• Transparent regulatory frameworks
• Strong employment and research ecosystems
Education cannot grow in isolation from the broader socio-economic environment.
The Road Ahead
India holds several natural advantages: a large young population, strong English-language capabilities, a diverse and talented student base and a rapidly growing economy.
The arrival of international universities presents an opportunity for India to both retain domestic students who would otherwise study abroad and attract international students. In doing so, India could emerge as a knowledge hub for countries across the Global South.
However, the mere presence of international campuses will not automatically create a global education centre.
For India to truly become a global education hub, its cities must offer high-quality living conditions, reliable infrastructure, stable governance systems and accessible opportunities for students and faculty alike.
The aspiration is powerful. The intent is visible. The momentum has begun.
But the environments surrounding universities must evolve to match their global ambitions.
Only then can the vision of India as a global education hub truly become a reality.
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One comment
Dr Sp Mishra
A Global Education Hub Needs a Global Economic Engine
Dr Ramakrishnan Raman rightly highlights the importance of infrastructure, urban mobility and quality of life if India hopes to attract international universities and students. These are undoubtedly important ingredients in building a globally competitive higher education ecosystem.
However, the central challenge may lie elsewhere.
Countries that have successfully become international education destinations — such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia — attract students not merely because of their campuses or city infrastructure, but because they offer strong economic ecosystems that create global career opportunities.
For millions of students worldwide, studying abroad is not only an academic decision. It is also a pathway to employment, professional growth and, in many cases, long-term migration prospects. In practice, students often choose the country first and the university second.
India therefore faces a more fundamental question: can it become a global education hub without first becoming a global innovation and employment hub?
While India has built impressive capabilities in services and technology outsourcing, it still hosts relatively few globally dominant product companies that attract international talent at scale. Universities thrive when they are embedded in powerful innovation ecosystems where research translates into globally competitive products, startups and industries.
Moreover, the latest India Skills Report 2026 indicates that employability among graduates, though improving, remains uneven across disciplines — highlighting the need to strengthen the alignment between higher education and industry.
Infrastructure and policy reforms are important. But education ecosystems ultimately follow economic ecosystems.
If India builds globally competitive innovation industries, the world’s students and universities will come naturally. Until then, the ambition of becoming a global education hub may remain more aspirational than transformational.
Universities alone cannot make a country an education hub. Nations become education hubs when their economies create opportunities that attract the world’s talent.