India’s global education hub ambitions: Recent student mobility trends, the underlying dynamics and strategy perspectives

Abstract

India, traditionally one of the largest exporters of mobile students, has adopted wide-ranging policies to attract more international students. This research draws on a secondary analysis of published international student mobility (ISM) statistics for the 2012 to 2021 timeline and a text-based examination of Indian higher education (HE) policy discourses. The analysis reveals a comparatively measured increase in international student enrolments in Indian HE, given the global ISM wave and the increasingly significant receiver roles of other non-traditional Asian host countries. A closer examination reveals that the Indian inbound ISM landscape is increasingly risky given the significant and increasing dependence on a few South Asian countries. Against these observations, the possible reasons for the slow growth in inbound ISM and policy measures to help attract more international students are discussed. Finally, a framework-based assessment of countries in the East African region is illustrated as an initial step in advancing a diversification strategy.

Keywords:

• higher education hubs
• international student mobility
• internationalisation of higher education
• India
• Asian education hubs
• South Asia

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

This paper focuses on India's quest to become a global education hub. An increase in the presence of international students benefits domestic students from the global classroom perspective. Other vital benefits include enhanced international cooperation and capacity building. This article has implications for non-traditional Asian higher education destinations seeking to attract more international students.

1. Introduction

The number of internationally mobile students rose from about 2.1 million in 2000 to 3.7 million in 2001, reaching 6.3 million in 2021 (UNESCO Institute of Statistics, 2023). This number is projected to reach at least 8 million by the end of this decade (De Wit & Altbach, 2021). Influenced by the significant disparity in educational capacities between the less-industrialised and the industrialised world, international student flows have predominantly been one-directional—from Asia to the Western world. For many decades, the USA and the UK have been the leading receivers of international students (Glass & Cruz, 2023; Pawar, 2022). Interestingly, in the new millennium’s first decade, new “regional” and “South-South” international student flow directions emerged (Chan, 2012; Glass & Cruz, 2023). These “horizontal” student flows, particularly to several developing Asian countries, have intensified (Gbollie & Gong, 2020; Glass & Cruz, 2023). Asian host countries such as China and South Korea, earlier known primarily as international student source countries, are now critical study-abroad destinations. India hopes to follow in their footsteps and become a preferred overseas HE destination for students from Asia and Africa (De Wit & Altbach, 2021; Ministry of Human Resource Development, GOI, New Delhi, New Education Policy, n.d.; UGC, 2021).

Recognising ISM trends and the underlying forces shaping these flows have caught the attention of HE policymakers and researchers for several decades (Guan et al., 2023; Mazzarol & Soutar, 2002; Pawar, 2023). However, the extant literature has long conveyed East-to-West student mobility with developed English-speaking host country perspectives. It is argued that given the rise of many Asian countries as more prominent HE destinations, there exists a need for more research that analyses inbound ISM trends in Asian study-abroad destinations (Kondakci et al., 2018; Pham, 2022; Pham et al., 2021; Sin et al., 2021). In particular, given India’s increasing dynamism as an emerging economy and its aspirations as a global education hub (MHRD GOI, n.d.; Wei, 2013), inbound ISM in Indian HE deserves more research attention. Against this background, the primary objectives of this paper are to (1) better understand inbound ISM trends in Indian HE and (2) discuss perspectives on how India could attract a more significant number of international students. This paper analyses the international student enrolments in Indian HE over the recent ten years to identify the latest inbound ISM trends. It discusses the underlying dynamics, policies and strategies in the context of the findings of this study and in light of India’s aspirations to become a global education hub. The insights offered by this research have significant implications for non-traditional and emerging Asian host countries that seek to increase and diversify their international student population.

The paper is structured into six parts. The current introduction section delivers information on India in the global ISM context and the objectives of this study. Section two overviews the Indian ISM scenario and the government’s policy initiatives toward enrolling international students. Section three presents the scope and research methodology. Section four quantifies Indian ISM data over the recent decade, interprets trends and notes the implications. Section five discusses the likely reasons for the low presence of overseas students on Indian campuses and the measures to attract more international students. This section also illustrates a systematic way to identify new international student markets as a diversification strategy followed by deliberations for a suitable marketing approach. Part six is the conclusion section that highlights the primary understanding of this study, its implications, limitations, and potential avenues for further research.

2. Background

2.1. India in the global international student mobility structure

The global ISM landscape is an uneven and hierarchical field where countries are placed as senders and receivers of international students (Glass & Cruz, 2023; Yang, 2022). As a contributor to global ISM, India holds positions of very different statures as an international student source and host country, respectively. India’s recognition in the global ISM field undeniably has been that of a significant international student-source country. On the other hand, given its lesser international student enrolments than the classic Western student-receiving countries, India is “semi-peripheral” in the global ISM structure. ISM researchers also see India as one of the emerging Asian regional education hubs (Glass & Cruz, 2023).

2.2. The recent policy context

Attracting and hosting international students is highly prioritised by governments from across the globe (Lomer, 2017). China, for example, to increase international student enrolment, has initiated focused financial investments and a firm policy (Marginson, 2011). Interestingly, the interest of governments in enrolling overseas students is contextual and multi-dimensional. Developed countries facilitate overseas student enrolments as international HE is a service export that can contribute significantly to their economy. Also, by supporting the migration of international students to the host country, they fill skill shortages in important industries (Gribble, 2008). India’s rationales, on the other hand, appear very different from those of the developed countries. Kahre (2014) states that multiple rationales drive the internationalisation of Indian HE at the government policymaking level. These are global visibility, soft power, reputation, and accruing the benefits of internationalisation at home for Indian students to enhance global competencies. These Indian ISM rationales appear similar to those of China, wherein the political objective, the country’s reputation and status are the sought-after outcomes (Yang, 2022).

Indian HE policymakers regard the presence of international students as a favoured pathway to internationalise their HE system (Khare, 2021). Announced first in 2016 by the Finance Minister in the Budget speech, the “Institutions of Eminence” scheme of the UGC was initiated to help 20 high-potential Indian HE institutions emerge as high-quality and world-class teaching and research establishments. The guidelines mention several favourable points for an international classroom push. These points include expectations of a mix of foreign and domestic students, a provision for far higher (up to 30 per cent) foreign students’ admissions and the freedom to decide on fees as incentives for the higher education institution (HEI). In 2018, India launched the “Study in India” programme, aiming to enrol more than 0.2 million international students, an ambitious four-fold increase over the existing enrolment number. This initiative targets multiple markets in the developing regions of Asia, Africa, and nations with a substantial Indian diaspora. It entails financial support to students and initiatives to promote Indian HE.

The newly released National Education Policy 2020 of the Indian Government (MHRD GOI, n.d.) is the first National Policy prioritising internationalisation (Varghese & Mathews, 2021). It envisions India as “Vishwa Guru” – a global education hub. It mentions its value offering that combines high education quality and affordability. It states:

India will be promoted as a global study destination, providing premium education at affordable costs, thereby helping to restore its role as a Vishwa Guru. (MHRD GOI, n.d.., p.39)

To attract international students, the NEP 2020 vision focuses on improving the experiences of international students, offering unique value and building on the quality of education on offer as outcomes. In this regard, three action points appear:

• The setting up of an international student office at each Indian HEI with a presence of international students to welcome and support students.

• Promoting subjects unique to India (e.g., AYUSH, Yoga) and initiatives towards achieving global quality standards to attract international students.

• Inviting leading (among the top 100) foreign universities to operate in India.

Guided explicitly by the internationalisation plans of NEP 2020 are the recently published guidelines of the UGC on internationalising Indian HE. This document reiterates India’s vision and objectification of actions to improve the global rankings of Indian HEIs and make India an attractive destination for foreign students (UGC, 2021). On the agenda are plans to increase the appeal of Indian HE by improving residential infrastructure and support provisions to deliver better student experiences. It recommends contemporary social media-driven and alumnus-led branding initiatives to attract international students and a much-needed systematic outlook comprising market research and a target market-based approach.

3. Research approach

This study employed a research approach that juxtaposed a descriptive quantitative examination of ISM numbers with a qualitative examination of policy papers and international student literature.

3.1. Quantitative data

Descriptive quantitative data exemplifying variations in ISM in India have been drawn from openly accessible statistics for the recent ten-year timeline (2012–2021). As in the highly valued previous ISM research into global, regional and emerging host country contexts, this study relies on UNSECO-IS published ISM data as a comprehensive source of accurate enrolment figures (Kondakci et al., 2018; Macrander, 2017; Pawar, 2022). In this research, data on incoming and outgoing international students was retrieved from the UNESCO data set (http://data.uis.unesco.org/). 2021 was the latest available data for a majority of the countries at the time of analysis. The dataset was extracted in the form of Microsoft Excel files. The analysis does not make an effort to show any causal relation between policy and changes in mobility numbers or trends. This paper follows the UNSECO definition in recognising international students as “individuals who have physically crossed an international border between two countries to participate in educational activities in the country of destination, where the country of destination of a given student is different from their country of origin” (UNESCO, 2023). Distance education students and short-term study program students are not accounted for.

3.2. Qualitative data

The qualitative approach is based on an investigation of published texts on international students. This research labels Indian policies which potentially shape student mobility. Published policy papers and extant literature involving international student experiences are referred to. To identify the possible reasons for the slow growth in inbound numbers, the authors’ interactions with international students (former and present), a perusal of extant research on international students in India and some contemplation explicate the main reasons. Emerging market assessments in the international student source country context are adapted from frameworks proposed in the extant literature on international market expansion plans. Finally, marketing strategy literature assessing emerging markets for international expansion and nurturing was reviewed to offer pointers in the India-Africa HE context.

4. Analysis and findings

4.1. The Indian international student mobility scenario

2021 saw more than half a million Indian students going abroad for university education (Figure 1), thus retaining its position as the second largest sending country behind China (UNESCO, 2023). India’s student outflow between 2012 and 2021 increased by about 173 per cent. In contrast, the inbound numbers increased by only 70 per cent and on a comparatively much smaller base number. In 2020, the inbound-outbound ratio slipped further to about 1:10. The inbound rates (number of international students as a percentage of total HE enrolments) have remained in a narrow 0.10 to 0.14 range.

Figure 1. Indian international student mobility landscape (2012–2021).

Source: UNESCO-IS (2023).

4.2. International student inflow to India

A scrutiny of the UNSECO (2023) data on inbound ISM in India reveals that in the recent decade, international students have primarily come from Asia (about 70 per cent) and Africa (about 23 per cent); the contributions of the other continents have remained marginal. The influence of South Asian countries on India’s inbound mobility has grown from an already sizable proportion of about 40 per cent to an even more dominant 48 per cent. The other noticeable shift is the fall in representation from the East Asian region from about 13 per cent to less than 4 per cent (Figure 2). Representation of students from Sub-Saharan Africa has increased marginally, while that from the Arab states has remained stable during these 10 years.

Figure 2. The primary source regions (2012–2022).

Source: UNESCO-IS (2023)

4.3. The international student-sending countries

The source country-wise inbound international students to India (2012 to 2021) and their respective percentage contributions to the total inbound student population are presented in Table 1. The leading sending countries for 2021 are in this list, tracked over the previous ten years. Findings reveal that the representation of students from Nepal, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh has increased substantially. Two neighbouring countries (Nepal and Afghanistan) now constitute nearly 37 per cent of the international student population in India. A healthy increase is seen in student inflow from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Yemen, the USA and the UAE. Students from the USA are primarily from Indian expatriate backgrounds; these students find Indian education in fields such as Medicine more affordable than back home (Powar, 2013). Meanwhile, some other traditional source countries, namely Kenya, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, show a fall in outright numbers and percentage contributions. In particular, Bhutan and Sri Lanka have had an accelerated fall since the middle of the decade. Lastly, though the inbound number from Tanzania in absolute terms shows an increase, their representation in the total student population depleted and then somewhat recovered to reach the 2012 levels again.

Table 1. A ten-year view of India’s leading international student source countries

Year	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
The main African source countries
Inbound students from Ethiopia
Number	231	274	331	549	387	723	681	870	695	967
Contribution (%)	0.8	0.8	0.8	1.3	0.9	1.5	1.5	1.8	1.4	2.0
Inbound students from Kenya
Number	491	435	472	481	457	530	530	489	413	429
Contribution (%)	1.7	1.3	1.2	1.1	1.0	1.1	1.2	1.0	0.8	0.9
Inbound students from Nigeria
Number	326	661	1260	1948	2088	2086	1866	1614	1525	1419
Contribution (%)	1.2	1.9	3.2	4.6	4.7	4.5	4.0	3.4	3.1	3.0
Inbound students from Tanzania
Number	777	759	810	838	819	1026	751	968	1152	1306
Contribution (%)	2.7	2.2	2.1	2.0	1.8	2.2	1.6	2.0	2.3	2.7
North America – USA as a source country
Inbound students from the USA
Number	782	849	1089	978	1018	1118	1414	1517	1626	2458
Contribution (%)	2.8	2.5	2.8	2.3	2.3	2.4	3.1	3.2	3.3	5.1
The main Asian source countries
Inbound students from Afghanistan
Number	1599	2330	3016	3723	4404	4423	4378	4657	4504	4082
Contribution (%)	5.6	6.8	7.7	8.9	9.8	9.5	9.5	9.8	9.1	8.5
Inbound students from Bangladesh
To India	535	774	715	948	1099	1526	1566	2075	2258	2750
Contribution (%)	1.9	2.2	1.8	2.3	2.5	3.3	3.4	4.4	4.6	5.7
Inbound students from Bhutan
Number	2274	2362	2619	2473	2756	2253	1985	1809	1851	1827
Contribution (%)	8.0	6.9	6.7	5.9	6.2	4.8	4.3	3.8	3.8	3.8
Inbound students from Nepal
Number	5481	6983	8183	8553	9144	10494	11498	12747	13883	13574
Contribution (%)	19.3	20.3	21.0	20.4	20.4	22.5	25.0	26.9	28.1	28.3
Inbound students from Sri Lanka
Number	1115	991	1216	1612	1185	1269	1248	1252	1168	862
Contribution (%)	3.9	2.9	3.1	3.8	2.6	2.7	2.7	2.6	2.4	1.8
Inbound students from the UAE
Number	748	805	538	1284	1479	1217	1121	1050	1347	2307
Contribution (%)	2.6	2.3	1.4	3.1	3.3	2.6	2.4	2.2	2.7	4.8
Inbound students from Yemen
Number	431	529	719	902	1236	1341	1454	1498	1437	1095
Contribution (%)	1.5	1.5	1.8	2.1	2.8	2.9	3.2	3.2	2.9	2.3

Source: UNESCO-IS (2023).

4.4. Interpretations

The analysis of the Indian ISM data set reveals a highly skewed ISM structure favouring the outbound mobility of Indian students. This trend is worrisome on two counts. One is the brain drain associated with Indian HE students moving overseas in large numbers, and two, the limitation in reaping the many benefits of internationalisation at home, given the low presence of overseas students on Indian campuses. India could not take advantage of the recent international student mobility wave compared to some Asian HE destinations. For example, China has already achieved its goal of receiving 0.5 million international students and is presently on the list of top-five receiving countries (De Wit & Altbach, 2021). The slow increase in enrolment rates has meant that India has missed its enrolment targets (e.g., the Study in India enrolment goal) by a large margin.

Next, the analysis signals an increasing dependence on a few South Asian countries. This scenario is very different from the earlier decades (the 1990s) when African students constituted nearly half of the student population (Lavakare & Powar, 2013). A substantial dependency on a few source nations makes the host country’s inbound ISM ratings vulnerable to demand variations (Findlay et al., 2017; Ziguras & McBurnie, 2011). Such a dependency risk could occur from global trends or unforeseen events, such as complications in diplomatic relations between the host and source countries (Choudaha, 2017; De Wit & Altbach, 2021).

Findings reveal a regional tone to India’s inbound ISM and HE destination country status. The lack of a substantial number of students from other regions limits the flavour of the international student composition. Hence, it reduces the appeal of Indian HE as a study-abroad destination. Kondakci et al. (2018) point out that host country government actions, such as student scholarship policies, drive inbound mobilities in region-dominant settings. They also state that in such scenarios, the student's destination choice is influenced by student constraints such as limited economic capabilities and lack of language skills. Such an inbound ISM structure denotes a fragile set-up that might limit the benefits of internationalisation to Indian HE stakeholders. Hence, diversifying the international student population to include students from other regions is imperative.

5. Discussion

Reflecting on the interpretations expressed in Section 4, the possible reasons for the comparatively slow growth of inbound ISM in Indian HE and the policy initiatives toward increasing enrolments are discussed. Following this, a framework-based emerging market assessment is illustrated to enable international market selection as a diversification strategy.

5.1. Possible reasons for the sluggish increase in student enrolment

The likely reasons are contextualised into three business strategy-based constructs: (i) the macro market and industry trends, (ii) the capacities and traits of Indian HE as an education provider, (iii) a micro-market-consumer behaviour perspective constituting the post-enrolment experiences and perceptions of international students. Such a classification enabled a strategic lens to structure the deliberations in this section.

5.1.1. The macro-environmental trends of the international higher education industry

Three macro-trends impact a more significant presence of overseas students on Indian campuses. First, the increased financial capacities of students in fast-emerging economies have given them a broader host country spectrum to select from (Ziguras & McBurnie, 2011). Herein, international students from low and middle-income countries prone to the classic “push-pull” tendencies (Mazzarol & Soutar, 2002) may choose developed Western countries instead of India. Second, improvement in the provision of HE in the home country (Lavakare & Powar, 2013) might influence students to choose host country HE systems that are substantially higher in terms of the quality of education on offer. Third, India faces intense global competition on two fronts: the traditional English-speaking industrialised receiving countries and the regional Asian education hubs (Yeravdekar & Tiwari, 2014). Traditional host countries such as the US, the UK and Australia have a significant edge in their reputation and developed country environs. HEIs use aggressive marketing strategies to enrol overseas students. Moreover, some Western destinations have resisted introducing fees to increase attractiveness. Meanwhile, other Asian countries with improved HE reputations and aggressive wide-ranging policy mechanisms to attract overseas students (e.g., China, Korea) compete and target similar source countries for recruitment (Chan, 2012).

5.1.2. India’s present limitations as an international higher education provider

Three notable limitations constrain India’s endeavour to attract more international students. First, the large Indian HE sector of about 1100 universities (All Indian Survey of Higher Education 2020–21, 2023) imparts a highly inconsistent quality of education (Powar, 2013). Lavakare and Powar (2013) note the disparity in the quality of education at the premier HEIs (e.g., the IITs and the IIMs) and at most other Indian HEIs where a large proportion of international students enrol. They add that the affordability of studying in India—a positive influence on enrolment decision-making gets discounted in settings where the quality of education is not perceived to be higher than what is available in the student’s home country or other competing countries. Correspondingly, there appears to be a supply-side constraint in the premier Indian HEIs to admit international students. Next, though the formal language of communication in Indian academia is presumed to be English, it is not the case in many Indian HEIs. This large inconsistency in the use of the English language in Indian academic settings and student interactions adversely impacts the post-enrolment satisfaction of international students. Finally, another apparent limitation of Indian HE has been the inability to promote their tertiary education overseas. The present marketing efforts must catch up to what a competitive global environment demands. Developed countries have long been employing sophisticated marketing strategies similar to those of corporations in the mainstream service sectors (Pawar, 2023; Woodall et al., 2014).

5.1.3. International students in India—a consumer behaviour perspective

The difficulties faced by international students as consumers of Indian education are wide-ranging. First, an awkward visa process and the absence of a single-window system at the university (Lavakare & Powar, 2013). Second, significant challenges during the initial transition phase include interacting with the local community and finding a suitable place to stay. Third, difficulties in adjusting to an Indian culture that is still colour and caste-conscious (Lavakare & Powar, 2013). Fourth, not being used to the food that is generally available on campus. Fifth, international students are not permitted to work, denying them an opportunity to lessen the financial implications of studying abroad. Moreover, students feel they lose out on applying their classroom learnings in Indian business settings.

5.2. Measures to enhance the inflow of international students

In tune with the constructs and variables recognised in section 5.1, measures to enhance the inflow of international students are discussed. These recommended measures are presented under three sub-sections: (i) countering the unfavourable macro-trends, (ii) overcoming limitations as a provider of education to international students, and (iii) delivering better experiences to international students.

5.2.1. Countering the unfavourable industry macro-trends

Unfavourable macro-trends, such as intensifying and global competition to enrol students and changes in education capacities in the student’s home country, are factors beyond the direct control of particular HE systems. However, policy initiatives, such as marketing campaigns to create a positive study destination image and offering financial support, can attract international students (Lomer, 2018; Pawar et al., 2020). Traits inherent to India and its HE system should be leveraged to create suitable consumer perceptions (Pawar et al., 2020; Yeravdekar, 2016). For example, the uniqueness of Indian culture, knowledge systems and exposure to business sectors in which India is doing well can create distinct value as a study-abroad destination. Herein, former international students who have benefited by gaining scholarships through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations or other Indian student support platforms could be approached to help promote Indian HE overseas. It is also imperative that Indian HE is perceived to provide higher-quality education than what is available in the student’s home country. This is necessary for the push-pull dynamics to remain relevant. Participation and progress of the “institutions of eminence” universities in the popular global ranking platforms is deemed essential.

Next, student mobilities should become a regular feature of government-led geopolitical ties and economic agendas (Lavakare & Powar, 2013). For instance, the growing political affiliations and business operations of Indian companies in the respective developing nations of Africa may be complemented by running multidisciplinary “African Studies” programs at Indian universities. Khare (2021) highlights that Indian internationalisation initiatives have been individual or institution-driven and recommends more cohesion between government policies and HEI-level practices. In this, the international student office at the HEI has a significant role in coordinating policy tools with HEI actions.

5.2.2. Overcoming limitations as a provider of education to international students

The quality advancement of a larger pool of Indian universities is imperative. This may help reduce large deviations in education quality standards in HEIs where international students enrol. Also, a focus on enhancing the quality of HEIs at geographical locations favoured by international students could act as a basis for developing more consistent quality standards of HEIs. Such an initiative may focus on popular international student destination cities identified in the CII-AIU (2014) report (e.g., Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mysore). Adjacent to the quality aspect is the need for consistency in the use of the English language by faculty in teaching and during faculty-student interactions.

5.2.3. Delivering better experiences to international students

The initial transition phase is the most stressful for the international student. Student support provision is recommended throughout the student journey. The points to observe for suitable policy and HEI-level actions during the initial phase of the international student journey should include the following. First, provision of information about the culture and traditions of the host country before the student first embarks and a well-rehearsed welcome when the student arrives. Second, guidance to the student during the visa registration process. Third, support for essentials such as accommodation (hostel facilities) and food. Fourth, a suitable platform for social interactions with the local community and a language orientation course (local Indian language). During the later stages of the student journey, the university staff and the HE ecosystem must recognise their academic and self-development goals. Policies that support overseas students to avail internships during their studies and post-study work opportunities in India for a particular duration must emerge. Finally, as in other Asian host nations (Pham, 2022), international student enrolment strategies must be backed by a regular study of international students’ perceptions and experiences. Herein, the provision of government grants for empirical research on international students in India signals a positive stance towards improving student experiences (e.g., ICSSR-funded research projects to academic researchers at Indian universities).

5.3. Identifying suitable target markets

Responding to the need for India to diversify its international student source countries, the East African region was illustratively assessed to estimate source country attractiveness for international expansion outside South Asia. In an “emerging market” context, market potential and consumer receptiveness (Arnold & Quelch, 1998; Cavusgil, 1997; Sakarya et al., 2007) are the assessment dimensions under consideration. The market potential dimension was estimated by three measures: the GDP growth, annual percentage, GDP per capita (which may trigger consumer expenditure toward HE abroad) and the primary education enrolments (as an estimation of market size). To estimate consumer receptiveness, prior outbound student mobility numbers and the enrolments of students from the form of the potential source country into India were used as measures.

5.3.1. Case application: India as a study destination and East Africa

Table 2 shows the criterion-wise data set to examine international student source country attractiveness. These measures were seen to have dissimilar units (e.g., percentages, USD). The values were standardised using a 5-point Likert scale to enable comparison, and suitable intervals were set. To handle outliers (e.g., Seychelles and Mauritius for their GDP per capita (USD)), a rating of 5 was specified. Finally, each indicator was weighed to back the predictive influence. This study exemplifies the following weights for the respective measures:

• GDP growth, annual percentage (10 per cent)

• GDP per capita (30 per cent)

• Primary education enrolment numbers (10 per cent)

• Total number of outbound international students (20 per cent)

• Outbound international students to India (30 per cent)

Table 2. Market attractiveness indicators for East African countries

Dimension	Market size			Customer receptiveness
Measures	GDP growth, annual (%)	GDP per capita (US$)	Primary education enrolments (in 000s)	Total outbound students	Outbound students who selected India
Burundi	1.8	238	2110	3037	95
Comoros	2.4	1485	113	5798	67
Djibouti	3	3136	61	2414	95
Ethiopia	5.3	1028	16695	7465	671
Kenya	4.8	2099	8290	15677	484
Madagascar	3.8	505	4733	4720	50
Malawi	0.9	645	4280	3617	144
Mauritius	8.7	10216	97	8083	285
Mozambique	4.1	542	6042	3095	176
Rwanda	8.2	966	2546	5195	293
Seychelles	8.8	15,875	9	564	20
Tanzania	4.6	1,192	8638	6966	943
Uganda	4.7	964	8655	5885	283
Zambia	4.7	1,488	3203	5136	456
Zimbabwe	3.4	1,267	2662	19076	328

Source: Adapted from Pawar (2022) using World Bank and UNSECO-IS data (UNESCO, 2023; World Bank, 2023).

Note: East African countries as source markets were included for assessment subject to data availability on the above-mentioned measures. GDP growth and GDP per capita pertain to 2022; primary education enrolments are in 2016; total outbound and outbound students to India are average from 2016 to 2020.

Analysis results show that within this illustrative set of 15 East African countries, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Tanzania, and Kenya are at the top of the attractiveness index. These countries may thus be selected for further engagement. The following sub-section deliberates on the areas to observe for India to nurture the African international student source countries as their target markets.

5.3.2. Marketing strategy perspectives for the African regions

Recent literature on the motivations of African students to enrol in a non-traditional country (China) was studied to gain marketing strategy insights for India to attract international students. Student enrolment motivations concerning the host country and student perceptions were noted. The capacities of China-linked variables include its prosperous future, political strategy, and the flexibility of its visa and entry norms (Gbollie & Gong, 2020; Mulvey, 2021; Wu et al., 2021). Additionally, the enrolment decision is influenced by the student’s perception of a better quality of education in China and the student’s desire for novelty, learning and challenges (Gbollie & Gong, 2020; Mulvey, 2021; Wu et al., 2021).

Further, research articles with marketing strategy perspectives for African and emerging markets in non-education industry settings were studied. Using Ghana as the empirical context, Dadzie et al. (2017) evaluate the applicability of the 4As framework (availability, affordability, acceptability and awareness) in emerging markets (Anderson & Billou, 2007; Prahalad, 2012). Additionally, they report that the affordability and accessibility dimensions of the marketing mix would lead to market share performance. Educating customers and prioritising relationships were essential considerations for African Fintech companies seeking intra-Africa expansion (Hammerschlag et al., 2020). Witkowski (2005) suggests that in developing country markets, products should be designed and priced to meet the needs and budgets of low-income consumers. Wang and Xiong Chen (2004) found that emerging market consumers often purchase an inland product if the overseas products are not perceived as higher quality. Paul (2020), in his review paper, proposes a four-dimensional model and provides a strategic approach for managers for operations in emerging countries. This includes navigating political relationships to reduce entry barriers, availability of business networks, awareness of social relationships and culture, and good internal coordination. (Paul, 2020)

The following recommendations for India to engage the African student set emerge.

1. Making students aware and increasing the acceptability of Indian HE amongst prospective consumers should involve the alumina. This would enable greater market intelligence and marketing mix adaptation.

2. India must look to serve the students from the emerging nations of Africa based on their needs and yet achieve the main rationales. This should be done by designing education programs and developing controls enabling India to deliver education aligned with the student’s academic goals and financial budgets.

3. India must develop a friendlier visa system and country-wise enrolment eligibility norms. Also, avenues for access to education loans, scholarships and part-time work opportunities to lower the financial implications of studying abroad should be explored to support sought-after behavioural outcomes.

4. It is vital for Indian education to be perceived as higher quality than what is available in the student’s home country. Hence, a focus on supporting some Indian HEIs to build their brand and differentiate themselves on higher quality is essential.

5. Indian HE should look at how they can partner with Indian businesses that have a presence in the respective African nations to support students’ post-study outcomes and design relevant study programs (Lavakare & Powar, 2013). Building relationships with each country should be encouraged rather than viewing them only as constituents of political or economic blocks.

6. Conclusion

This study investigated the inbound ISM trends in an Asian host country (India) that aspires to become a global education hub. The analysis indicates that the international student enrolment scenario has yet to meet expectations. Possible reasons for the slow inbound ISM growth rates and policy tools to increase the presence of international students in India are discussed. A growing dependence on a few South Asian source countries to drive international student enrolment is noticed. This study imagines a more business-driven perspective in offering international HE services to overseas students.

This paper contributes to the scholarly field of ISM by responding to the need to consider Asian countries in international student receiver roles. This research has policy implications for other aspiring countries that seek a more significant presence of overseas students on their university campuses. The ISM trend analysis reveals the need for a more meaningful internationalisation of HE systems. The discussion section presents a corporate strategy-led classification to review the challenges in increasing international student enrolments and the policy tools to address issues. Herein, a wide-ranging mix of academic and non-academic factors are highlighted. Finally, this paper exemplifies a globally relevant framework for international student source market selection and marketing strategy perspectives to guide market selection plans of host countries.

6.1. Limitations and potential avenues for future research

ISM studies often need more support concerning the availability of consistent and recent country-to-country student movement-related data. Using UIS.Stat as a data source helped overcome this limitation largely, though not entirely. This study opens many potential avenues for research. (i) Future studies can advance market selection criteria with additional considerations such as HE capacities in the student’s home country, the extent to which students have had access to learning fluent English in their primary and secondary education and the prevailing competitors in the target market. Data analysis tools may be used to examine large variable sets. (ii) A further study comparing the policy and marketing approaches of Asian HE service providers in the African international student source market context is suggested. For example, given the high potential of Africa to become an economically powerful continent, it would be interesting to compare the policy actions and strategies of China and India to enrol students from the African countries.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2289310

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no direct funding for this research.

Notes on contributors

Sanjay Krishnapratap Pawar

Sanjay Krishnapratap Pawar is an Associate Professor at the Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India. His research focuses on international higher education with perspectives on consumer behaviour and marketing strategy. Before entering employment in higher education, Sanjay worked in the Indian industry as a marketing professional for several years. He brings deep knowledge in providing strategic insights, market intelligence, and investigative solutions to universities and higher education systems, aiming to strengthen competitive differentiation. In recent years, his research has been published in reputed academic journals, including those rated A and B by the Australian Business Deans Council Inc. Sanjay has received funding from several Indian organisations to pursue international student-focused research projects.