The Next Billion Learners: How 10,000 Indian Students Are Redefining Global Education

India’s higher-education landscape is undergoing a transformation powered not by policy alone but by the voices of its students.

Acumen’s recent 10K Indian Voices Report – The Next Billion Learners, supported by Times Higher Education (THE)  listened to 10,000 students across 160 cities to understand how India’s youth see the future of global learning. Their message is clear: internationalisation is no longer an aspiration of the elite but an expectation of every learner.

1. Global Exposure Is the New Baseline

An overwhelming 91 percent of Indian students want international exposure in their higher education. Yet this no longer means a ticket abroad. Students are redefining internationalisation at home, favouring accessible, affordable, and hybrid pathways such as visiting foreign faculty (49 percent), internationally recognised certifications (45 percent), and dual or joint degrees (36 percent).

This marks a fundamental shift. Instead of chasing global education overseas, students want the world brought to them through global curricula, digital classrooms, and cross-border collaborations. As Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Officer at Times Higher Education, notes, “The real opportunity is to bring the world to India affordably, credibly, and at scale.”

2. The Aspiration–Opportunity Gap

While 40 million students are enrolled in Indian higher education, only about 900,000 (roughly 2 percent) study abroad. For the remaining majority, limited finances and lack of guidance create a stark aspiration gap. Yet ambition runs deep, particularly in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where 95 percent and 90 percent of students respectively want global exposure.

These first-generation global learners see internationalisation as a path to upward mobility and social advancement. Studying under global faculty or earning an internationally recognised credential at home is more than convenience; it is a pathway to transformation.

3. Women Driving Global Ambitions

The survey found female students equally, and sometimes more, aspirational than their male peers, with 91 percent compared to 90 percent expressing interest in international exposure. This challenges long-held assumptions about gendered access in global education. Women increasingly view internationalisation as empowerment, provided it is delivered through accessible and safe formats such as hybrid programs, online certifications, and local branch campuses.

For institutions, this is an urgent call to design gender-responsive internationalisation models that include culturally sensitive mentoring, peer support, and targeted scholarships.

4. Internationalisation at Home: Progress and Gaps

Despite enthusiasm, India’s internationalisation at home remains limited. Only 0.1 percent of total enrolment comprises international students, and international staff average below 4 percent at leading universities.

However, progress is visible. Co-authored international research rose from 19.8 percent in 2019 to 27.1 percent in 2023, surpassing China’s share. These advances align with NEP 2020 and UGC 2023 guidelines, which encourage dual degrees, twinning programs, and International Branch Campuses (IBCs).

To bridge the aspiration–opportunity gap, India must embed global experiences into everyday learning through joint curricula, foreign-faculty residencies, and research hubs that make internationalisation a lived reality for millions of students.

Mr. V. M. Bansal, Chairman of the New Delhi Institute of Management, captures this well: “Top Indian institutions like NDIM are bringing global exposure to students on campus through visiting international faculty, short-term immersion programs, and Centres of Excellence. We are building globally oriented pathways that are both practical and affordable.”

5. International Branch Campuses: Promise and Proof

Among respondents, 78 percent said they would study at an International Branch Campus (IBC) in India if quality parity and employability were assured. Interest was strongest among high-school and undergraduate students (82–84 percent) and in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, underscoring India’s untapped regional demand.

Students see IBCs as bridges rather than compromises, offering the prestige of global degrees without the financial burden of going abroad. Yet they are cautious. They expect clear evidence of curriculum parity, international faculty presence, and strong placement outcomes. Without these, IBCs risk being perceived as local imitations rather than authentic extensions of their parent universities.

6. Preferred Destinations Still Matter

When asked about study-abroad preferences, students’ top choices remained consistent: the USA (26 percent), Australia (26 percent), and the UK (22 percent), followed by Canada and Germany. But motivations have evolved. Cost, post-study work opportunities, and clarity of pathways often outweigh prestige.

This means transnational-education (TNE) models linked to these destinations, such as 2+2 and dual-degree partnerships, can serve as scalable alternatives for aspirational students who might otherwise never study abroad.

7. A Roadmap for Student-Centric Internationalisation

The findings point to an urgent need for higher-education providers in India and abroad to rethink how they design, deliver, and communicate global learning. The report outlines a seven-point roadmap:

1. Guarantee Quality Parity – Align curriculum, faculty, and graduate outcomes with parent institutions.
2. Embed Internationalisation at Home – Bring global faculty, virtual teaching, and diverse classroom experiences to Indian campuses.
3. Empower Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities – Use vernacular outreach, regional hubs, and scholarships to reach high-aspiration students.
4. Align with Employability – Integrate micro-credentials, industry partnerships, and internships that link global education to real-world careers.
5. Expand Access and Financing – Introduce need-based aid, income-share agreements, and shared infrastructure to make programs affordable.
6. Strengthen Counselling and Awareness – Equip schools and counsellors to guide students through credible TNE options.
7. Foster Institutional Collaboration – Encourage co-taught degrees, shared research ecosystems, and streamlined regulation under NEP 2020.

8. The Next Billion Learners

By 2035, India aims to reach a 50 percent Gross Enrolment Ratio, adding roughly 26 million new learners to higher education. Even if just 10 percent of senior-secondary students pursue transnational or hybrid global learning, that represents 10 million students – ten times today’s outbound mobility.

For global universities, the message is clear: the future of international education in India lies in partnership, not recruitment. Bringing the world to Indian campuses affordably, credibly, and at scale is both a policy and social imperative.

As Sagar Bahadur, Executive Director Asia at Acumen, writes, “Internationalisation has moved from the margins to the mainstream, from a privilege of the few to an aspiration of the many.”

And as Phil Baty of Times Higher Education reminds us, “Destinations like the US, Australia and the UK will continue to inspire, but the real opportunity is to bring the world to India.”

India is ready to contribute the next billion learners to the global knowledge economy. The challenge now is whether institutions – both Indian and international – are ready to meet them halfway.

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To get further insights and a comprehensive understanding of these findings, you can download the full “10K Indian Voices Report – The Next Billion Learners.“