Between India And The World: Reviewing Higher Education In A Comparative Perspective With Particular Reference To Germany
Dr. Paromita Chakrabarti, Associate Professor, and Head, Department of English, HR College of Commerce and Economics, University of Mumbai
Incepted in the year 1960, HR College of Commerce and Economics has achieved excellent academic standards, while simultaneously creating opportunities for the all around development of students through sports and cultural activities. H.R. College was the first college in Maharashtra to be accredited 'A' grade with a score of 87.95% by the NAAC under the revised scheme for 2002.
The contemporary world is experiencing a paradigm shift in the way we structure, organize, administer and disseminate higher education. Educational reforms in the higher education sector have brought about radical shifts in the way we imagine and direct the pursuit of knowledge both in India and in the world. With rapid technological advancement, a growing pool of restive young learners, neo-liberal forms of governance, and growth of a knowledge economy; the terms of participation and transaction in higher education have become more challenging and perhaps significantly differentiated. Standing on the cusp of transformation, higher education in India in the last few years have seen far-reaching changes through the launching of RUSA by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 2013 and the subsequent plans to replace UGC that has been planning, funding, and administering higher education in India since 1956.
"There is a steady growth in investment and government funding of certain disciplines especially in the field of applied science and advanced research in manufacturing and technology"
With a large body of young citizens who clearly need a quality education to make an effective entry into the labor market and contribute to the social and economic growth of the country, India is poised on the brink of a make or break future. Our current system of higher education faces huge challenges in terms of addressing the increasing number of students who are accessing education post higher secondary study. On the other hand, there are several positive indicators that influence the sector of higher education in India. Along with that, there is a general acceptance among the population both in urban and in rural areas that higher education is key to a better life, upward social mobility and enhanced experience of living. There is a growing consensus that in order to become a developed nation India must invest heavily in education, both at the primary and secondary level and at the level of higher education. The belief that education and research are the fundamental building blocks of a nation is no longer limited to the intellectual circles but has reached far and wide.
The question that arises at this critical juncture is why our students who can afford and those who are bright consider higher education abroad. The phenomenon of 'brain drain' has been much researched and critically engaged with. In this article I propose to look at why students still prefer to complete their Masters and receive their M.Phil, Ph.D. degrees from Universities preferably in the USA and Canada in North America; the United Kingdom and other European nations notably Germany, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Italy; Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. There are some institutions in Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia that are also becoming preferred destinations for many young students for higher studies and education in specialized fields such as medicine and engineering.
What we are witnessing is a rise in applications to STEM fields of study and resurgence in Liberal Arts education. For STEM, universities abroad particularly German universities have seen a huge increase in the intake of Indian students. This is because German universities have excellent infrastructure, cutting-edge research facilities, highly committed and professionally renowned research faculty. There is a steady growth in investment and government funding of certain disciplines especially in the field of applied science and advanced research in manufacturing and technology. German universities additionally have very low tuition fees and some universities such as the University of Hamburg, University of Bremen, University of Cologne, and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are tuition-free. A lot of specialized courses and others are taught in English and offers very well-funded scholarship options for international students pursuing masters and research degrees. Not only does Germany have some of the top ranking universities of the world but it particularly outshines many others in the fields of engineering and technology. As per the QS world university rankings, the top 7 German education institutions in the fields of engineering and technology in 2017 were: Technical University of Munich, RWTH Aachen University, TU Berlin, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, University of Stuttgart, Darmstadt University of Technology, and TU Dresden. To top it all, Germany also allows international students to remain and gain work experience after completion of their degrees with the permit of 'Agentur- furArbeit'. Very few countries offer this kind of post-study employment opportunity for students in North America and Europe.
The fundamental reasons why Indian students prefer to study abroad for a higher education degree are flexible and updated curriculum, intense focus on cutting edge research, renowned faculty, massive funding for research projects, competitiveness, rigorous academic and research training, huge international exposure, and global cultural experience. The internationalization of higher education: one of the most prominent developments that we have seen in the last few decades, shall continue to lure Indian students who want quality education and are willing to go any distance to acquire it.
The contemporary world is experiencing a paradigm shift in the way we structure, organize, administer and disseminate higher education. Educational reforms in the higher education sector have brought about radical shifts in the way we imagine and direct the pursuit of knowledge both in India and in the world. With rapid technological advancement, a growing pool of restive young learners, neo-liberal forms of governance, and growth of a knowledge economy; the terms of participation and transaction in higher education have become more challenging and perhaps significantly differentiated. Standing on the cusp of transformation, higher education in India in the last few years have seen far-reaching changes through the launching of RUSA by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 2013 and the subsequent plans to replace UGC that has been planning, funding, and administering higher education in India since 1956.
"There is a steady growth in investment and government funding of certain disciplines especially in the field of applied science and advanced research in manufacturing and technology"
With a large body of young citizens who clearly need a quality education to make an effective entry into the labor market and contribute to the social and economic growth of the country, India is poised on the brink of a make or break future. Our current system of higher education faces huge challenges in terms of addressing the increasing number of students who are accessing education post higher secondary study. On the other hand, there are several positive indicators that influence the sector of higher education in India. Along with that, there is a general acceptance among the population both in urban and in rural areas that higher education is key to a better life, upward social mobility and enhanced experience of living. There is a growing consensus that in order to become a developed nation India must invest heavily in education, both at the primary and secondary level and at the level of higher education. The belief that education and research are the fundamental building blocks of a nation is no longer limited to the intellectual circles but has reached far and wide.
The question that arises at this critical juncture is why our students who can afford and those who are bright consider higher education abroad. The phenomenon of 'brain drain' has been much researched and critically engaged with. In this article I propose to look at why students still prefer to complete their Masters and receive their M.Phil, Ph.D. degrees from Universities preferably in the USA and Canada in North America; the United Kingdom and other European nations notably Germany, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Italy; Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. There are some institutions in Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia that are also becoming preferred destinations for many young students for higher studies and education in specialized fields such as medicine and engineering.
What we are witnessing is a rise in applications to STEM fields of study and resurgence in Liberal Arts education. For STEM, universities abroad particularly German universities have seen a huge increase in the intake of Indian students. This is because German universities have excellent infrastructure, cutting-edge research facilities, highly committed and professionally renowned research faculty. There is a steady growth in investment and government funding of certain disciplines especially in the field of applied science and advanced research in manufacturing and technology. German universities additionally have very low tuition fees and some universities such as the University of Hamburg, University of Bremen, University of Cologne, and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are tuition-free. A lot of specialized courses and others are taught in English and offers very well-funded scholarship options for international students pursuing masters and research degrees. Not only does Germany have some of the top ranking universities of the world but it particularly outshines many others in the fields of engineering and technology. As per the QS world university rankings, the top 7 German education institutions in the fields of engineering and technology in 2017 were: Technical University of Munich, RWTH Aachen University, TU Berlin, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, University of Stuttgart, Darmstadt University of Technology, and TU Dresden. To top it all, Germany also allows international students to remain and gain work experience after completion of their degrees with the permit of 'Agentur- furArbeit'. Very few countries offer this kind of post-study employment opportunity for students in North America and Europe.
The fundamental reasons why Indian students prefer to study abroad for a higher education degree are flexible and updated curriculum, intense focus on cutting edge research, renowned faculty, massive funding for research projects, competitiveness, rigorous academic and research training, huge international exposure, and global cultural experience. The internationalization of higher education: one of the most prominent developments that we have seen in the last few decades, shall continue to lure Indian students who want quality education and are willing to go any distance to acquire it.
