The popular adage ‘the world is a small place’ is a reality today. Increasing digitalisation has played a big role in the evolution of our world into a hybrid and collective place. However, the roots of globalisation are firmly attached to the ever-growing curiosity of the human race. Most industries are involved in global trade today, which is why colleges and universities are emphasising on the imperative importance of global collaborative studies for students, researchers, and teachers.

Foreign collaborations amongst universities are aimed at building bridges globally. To impart a culture of universalism and humanism, the education sector is constantly aiming to provide fantastic opportunities to the students who wish to make significant societal contributions. Listed below are five benefits of foreign collaborations:

Global Opportunities

The primary advantage of internationalisation is enhancement in the quality of education. Global opportunities make students aware about the cultures and practices of different markets of the world. The opportunities for students are provided in the form of international exchange and dual degree programmes. Researchers and teachers have a plethora of teaching or study options in different universities worldwide. These programmes provide exposure to global business strategies and hence, increase the strength of personal and professional relationships amongst people of all countries and races.

Diversity and Social Responsibility

Unity in diversity is a concept that has always produced great results in all walks of life. Diversity in education and businesses plays a major role in the impact of education and the success of a business. An organisation thrives if there are multiple perspectives from a variety of people working for one common goal. On the other hand, universities are providing people of all race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, disability, age or any other protected classification, with equal opportunities to learn and grow. This results in an influx of ideas that help in achieving rationality in thought, and harmony in society. The value system ingrained in students during the time of exchange or dual degree programs helps them to establish their professional careers in any environment.

International Leaders

Internationalisation of universities and the speed of globalisation are enabling students with easy access to lead on the world stage. Universities have moved on from the idea of exclusivity and are successfully integrating a rich culture of inclusivity. The academia helps in curating a high-quality dialogue between students, scholars, and teachers, of various nationalities and backgrounds. To be a global leader, it is pertinent to engage in open discourses with fellow human beings, and foreign collaboration gives you the platform to do that. The students are now empowered to complement their classroom learning with real-life professional situations and implement their strategies, thus moving on the path to becoming an international leader.

Developing Global Competencies

The core values of building a successful organisation have always been teamwork, shouldering responsibility, leadership, professional ethics, market awareness, and a result-oriented culture. Apart from the to and fro of the ideas and perspectives, working in real-life circumstances, or even working on academic projects together inculcates the values mentioned above. A constant need to do well is a desire of all humans. Universities inculcate these competencies among students by assigning them projects where they have to work towards a singular objective and/or provide them with industry visits and apprenticeships. Exposure of this kind allows students to develop the right competencies and get them recognised across the world. This will not only boost their confidence, but it will also grant them with the resources to build a truly global professional network.

Global Professional Network

The abundance of opportunities now available due to the expansive foreign collaborations of the universities has resulted in the creation of a phenomenal global professional network that caters to millions of people across the world. The fact that students have access to this network on their fingertips – in mobile phones and computers – is a handy thing to say the least. Foreign collaborations open up countless possibilities. It creates a chance to be a global citizen and assist in creating global citizens for building a healthy, safe and inclusive culture. The digital generation is focussed on creating worldwide solutions for everything and they want to be a part of revolutionising professional and personal spaces for themselves.

This excerpt from Charlie Chaplin’s speech from The Great Dictator sums up the importance of foreign collaborations – “We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness – not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world, there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone.”

Authored by Tarun Anand, chairman, and founder, Universal Business School.