Manipal Academy targets 10% degree-seeking international enrollment

UG courses have the highest concentration of international students with around 2,000 pursuing various disciplines.

With its powerful alumni network consisting of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and chef Vikas Khanna, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) is eyeing to have international students making up at least 10 percent of its degree-seeking student population by the next five years.

Currently, international students belong to various countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, Oman, Canada, Czech, France, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, UAE, The USA, Iran, Maldives, Malaysia, Australia, Austria, Egypt, Bahrain, Nigeria, Japan, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey etc.

“It's crucial for aspiring higher education institutions to prioritise diversity among their student body and facilitate cross-cultural connections. Even small exposures to diverse perspectives can have a significant impact on learning,” said Lt Gen (Dr) MD Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor of MAHE.

As of now, there are around 3,500 international students consisting of regular degree-seeking students (undergraduate and postgraduate), students admitted under distance education, and exchange students. To be sure, UG courses have the highest concentration of international students with around 2,000 pursuing various disciplines.

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This aligns with the Study In India (SII) programme, a flagship project introduced by the Ministry of Education (MoE) in 2018. The programme seeks to endorse India as a prime education hub for international students by inviting them to pursue their higher education and explore valuable educational opportunities enabled by top Indian universities.

Last year, NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said a vision document for 2047  is underway and the government aims to target half a million foreign students in India.

The majority of the international students in MAHE are pursuing medical and engineering courses in various disciplines. The institute allocates 15 percent of seats under the Foreign/NRI category and also offers merit-based scholarships for international students ranging upto 15 percent of tuition fees.

MAHE, an Institution of Eminence (IoE) and Deemed to be University, currently has about 35,000 students on its rolls. Presently MAHE Manipal offers more than 300 programmes in over 30 streams which include undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG) and doctoral levels at its four campuses in India and an overseas campus.

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Looking at around 20 percent growth rate in student enrollment, the VC said MAHE would have approximately 4,500 international students five years down the line across various programs.

To make the internalisation of education more smooth, Dr Venkatesh pointed out that when hiring foreign faculty members, institutes encounter concerns related to obtaining work permits and visas.

“To streamline these processes and ensure seamless operations, we have to establish a single-window system. We've engaged with the government on this matter for a considerable period, and they have shown receptiveness to our proposals,” he added.