The lure of Europe

European universities have better regulatory norms, degree design, faculty etc, writes Vijeth Balila

When Akshatha Rao, a media professional, thought of taking a break from her career and studying a different field to get new perspectives, she started applying to various UK and European universities. "Besides academics, I wanted to experience a new world out there, meet students from across the world, from different cultures and backgrounds which I thought would help me develop my personality," she says.

European countries have always been the favourite destinations for higher education for Indian students. The 1990s started witnessing significant migration of Indian students to Europe. It only increased over the subsequent decades.

The government data says that more than 1.6 lakh Indian students were enrolled in European countries as of July 2021. UK, Germany, France, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Ireland are some of the favourite destinations for Indian students.

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Why Europe?

In a report pointing out the gaps between Indian and EU higher education systems, Prof. Rahul Singh of Birla Institute of Management Technology notes that regulatory norms, course design and requirements, quality standards, faculty and research methodology are very different for Indian and European institutes. The advantage of the European model is attractive for Indian students.

The lack of international perspective and financial support from the government in most of the Indian institutes could be another significant factor, whereas the EU institutions offer not only scholarship opportunities but also highly subsidised education, the report notes.

Highlighting the diversity her campus provides, Meghashree Pataje, an undergraduate student at UK’s University of Warwick says: “This is much more than just studying for a degree. Also, the degree from a UK university is a great selling point, no matter which location you are seeking to work.”

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“Universities have a large list of societies and sports teams that you’ll be able to join,” she adds.

Higher education in Europe is not as expensive as perceived. “A lot of financial assistance is available for students based on merit. There are scholarships being provided by the Indian government as well as the Universities abroad,” she adds. Pooja Kishin, a senior staff at an education consultancy. The academic year generally begins in September. Scholarships and admission processes must preferably be explored one year prior to that, she adds.

Akshatha recollects her experience. "The application process for the scholarship was quite challenging. I had to write essays on development themes and my interest in the development of my country to convince the selection authorities at the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the university on why I deserve to get the fully-funded scholarship," she says, adding that the scholarship mandated her to return to India after her masters and work for at least two years before she makes any move to work abroad.

Covid impact

With the teaching getting shifted to online mode with the onset of Covid-19, international students in Europe were severely affected. A survey by the European University Association notes that European universities took immediate and ad-hoc action in the spring/summer semester of 2020, including physical learning. But the measures often differed across institutions. In Ireland, some institutions are operating close to full capacity, others with limitations on class size; in Romania, some continue to work entirely online, and others function in a hybrid mode.

"During the pandemic, placements from institutions were not happening. Without part-time work, it was a bit difficult to manage, especially in London. There were a lot of job losses during that time," says Manjunath Chandrashekar, a postgraduate student at the University of Greenwich.

But in 2021, institutions seemed to have adapted better to the situation, with new strategies, structures and resources, the survey highlighted.

Pooja said that there is the number of Indian students going abroad, especially to the UK, amid and after the pandemic, has increased as the universities are better-prepared and take care of students well.

Impact of war

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has wreaked havoc all over Europe. Ukraine is a favourite destination for medical education. A lot of international students studying in Ukraine were affected by the war.

Among the international students enrolled in Ukraine, Indians are the highest. In 2020, out of 76,548 international students enrolled in Ukrainian universities, 18,095 were Indians (23.6%).

Deepak Varma, an employee of an authorised consultancy for Ukraine, Russia and Georgia, tells DH that getting a medical seat is difficult and expensive in India, costing around Rs 60 lakhs in private institutions. "But in Ukraine, their expenses won’t cross Rs 25 lakhs for the six-year course. English is the mode of instruction, and there is no separate medical entrance test. And that degree will open many options and opportunities to students abroad," he adds, highlighting the advantages.

"Unlike Indian institutions where generally 100+ students are monitored by one teacher, in Ukraine, a group of 12 students has a teacher," says Janaki V Nair, a medical student in Ukraine, adding that medical students from Ukraine are prioritised when it comes to jobs.

Now, most Ukrainian universities have restarted classes despite the odds. Janaki says that if the war ends and the situation becomes normal, she wishes to go back to Ukraine to continue her studies.