Twitter
Advertisement

Reverse braindrain: Students look beyond the US for jobs

Students look beyond the US for jobs, considering countries such as China, Hong Kong, Singapore, UAE and the UK

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

Indian students heading to the US to pursue higher studies are either in a hurry to return home or even look at countries beyond the US for a career. They are not eager to find a job and settle down in US, according to a Yale University official.

“Many students are choosing to return home because the opportunities in India are also attractive. Many are also choosing to head to other countries such as China, Hong Kong, Singapore, UAE and the UK. When students come to the university, they focus on their course, not on securing a job,” said George Joseph, assistant secretary (international affairs), Yale University, who was in Bangalore on Wednesday. However, he said that it would be hard to estimate the number of such students.

“Many of them stay on for a year or two after their course, after which they decide to go back,” he said. The likelihood of getting a job is lower as the US is still emerging from recession. However, he clarified that this does not imply that the on-campus placement offered by the university is under strain.

“Even non-Indians are coming to India for work. There is a global footprint of the multi-national companies. Hence, there is no need to stay on in the US,” he added.

Joseph said Indian students, traditionally known to focus on engineering and management, are also looking at other subjects. “It’s more than just engineering and management. Subjects such as economics, amongst a host of others, are being looked at,” he said.

Joseph said that they do not have plans to set up a university in India or offer a dual-degree course. “The only reason we do not want to do so is because we want to maintain the quality. What a
student receives at New Haven is much more than just education. They’re part of a community. This cannot be replicated elsewhere; neither the infrastructure nor the diversity or resources available at the university,” he said.

It’s not that we will not be able to attract the best students, however, it’s the access to resources that will be an issue,” he added.

Challenges in India
Talking about the challenges in Indian education, he said they exist at multiple levels. In the next 20 years, the number of those pursuing higher education is expected to be around 30 million. “By and large, primary education is still very weak, with a lot of system and bureaucracy and procedural issues involved,” he said, adding that a conference of vice- chancellors held some time ago said that most of them have great ideas but no authority to put them in place.

He revealed that the management school of Yale University has plans to collaborate with IIM-Bangalore. They are collaborating with the Indian Institute of Human Settlements, which is in the process of setting up its campus in Bangalore.

“We are working on the research division, although it is several years away. Right now, Yale University has 170 Indian students, an increase of 15% over last year,” he said.

Some of the efforts being made by Yale include intensifying efforts to recruit renowned Indian executives, government officials, artists, and other thought leaders for short-term residencies at Yale. It also plans to strengthen opportunities for students to engage in India, both in formal study programmes and internships and offer fellowships and service opportunities. Professional schools will increase the number of faculty members involved in teaching and research efforts focussed on India, amongst others.
 
 

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement