Will "Study in India" be able to build inclusive futures?
Preliminary findings from a national survey
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32674/b3n4j711Keywords:
Higher Education, International at home, Study in India, Student Mobility, Motivations, ExperiencesAbstract
In many Western countries, the internationalization of higher education is driven by the aim of attracting more full-fee-paying international students. A business model guides this agenda to generate revenue for universities with a steady decline in public funding. In contrast, the recent "Study in India" mission of the Indian government has been driven primarily by the philosophy of "Internationalization at Home," aimed at providing international and intercultural experiences to both domestic and international students. This paper presents preliminary evidence from an ongoing national survey funded by the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR) to discuss ways to fulfill the "Study in India" mission and build inclusive futures, nurturing global citizens for sustainable development.
References
Al Ghamdi, A. (2020). Acculturation experiences and identity negotiations in Saudi Arabian international students in the UK: From an acculturation perspective to a dialogical self-perspective (Doctoral dissertation, Oxford Brookes University). Oxford Brookes University Research Archive. https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/8071c340-2988-4124-afb2-6701384a1484/1/
Altbach, P. G., & Knight, J. (2007). The internationalization of higher education: Motivations and realities. Journal of Studies in International Education, 11(3-4), 290-305. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315307303542 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315307303542
Alzukari, R. (2024). Academic self-efficacy, achievement motivation, and academic success of international graduate students. Mississippi State University.
Bamberger, A., & Morris, P. (2024). Critical perspectives on internationalization in higher education: commercialization, global citizenship, or postcolonial imperialism? Critical Studies in Education, 65(2), 128–146. https://doi.org/10.1080/17508487.2023.2233572 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17508487.2023.2233572
Belousova, T (2018). Internationalization of Higher Education: The Indian Scenario. Institute for the Study of Developing Areas (ISDA). Vol. 28. No. 2. April-June 2018.
Belousova, T (2019). Internationalization in Kerala: A Performance Audit. Higher Education for the Future. Vol. 6 (1). Jan. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631118802647 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631118802647
Brotherhood, T. (2020). Considering Agency in the Education-Migration Nexus: A Temporal Analysis of Structure-Agency Relations with Student-Migrants [PhD thesis, University of Oxford]. Available at: https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:d15f4b62-d83b-4ed7-b766-7c7778e50d9d
Butler, B. M. (2021). The Perceived English Writing Needs of Non-Primary English International Doctoral Students at R1 Universities Across the United States [PhD diss., University of Tennessee]. Available at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/6686
Cao, X. (2020). Revisioning The Employability of International Students: A Longitudinal Diary-Based Study of Chinese Master’s Students in The UK From a Capabilities Perspective [Doctoral thesis, University of Warwick]. Available at: https://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/145602/
Carter, H. (2024). “I have the worst life abroad”: Mental health crisis. Case Studies in International Education. 5(2). 1-2. https://www.csiepub.org/index.php/csie/article/view/162/313
Diki, M. K. (2020). The Internationalization of Higher Education: International Graduate Students’ Perspectives on How to Enhance University Stakeholders’ Global Competence [Doctoral thesis, Ohio University]. Available at: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1596721422243909
Edwards, J. F. (2021). “My voice is me”: Using Currere to Explore International Students’ Constructions of Voice and Identity in A New Language and Culture [Doctoral thesis, Miami University]. Available at: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1617633374773987
Gomes, C. (2024). International Student Visibility: Living and Participating in Community (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003547082 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003547082-1
Gueracague, N. (2021). “C’est compliqué!”: A Critical Exploration of How African International Students in France Negotiate Aspects of Power, Identity, and Agency [Doctoral thesis, University of Exeter]. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/docview/2593927779?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses
Hazelkorn, E. (2015). Rankings and the Reshaping of Higher Education. The Battle for World-Class Excellence. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/9780230306394. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137446671
Hidalgo, T. A. (2021). Factors Impacting International Students’ Sense of Belonging [Doctoral thesis, University of Toledo]. Available at: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1620159884600869
Hou, Y. (2025). Rethinking ethical dilemmas in internationalization of higher education: a Confucian Zhengming perspective. , Societies and Education, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2024.2446729 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14767724.2024.2446729
Jones, E. (2017). Problematizing and reimagining the notion of ‘international student experience.’ Studies in Higher Education, 42(5), 933-943. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2017.1293880 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2017.1293880
Kajee, J. (2024). Cultural global citizens: Navigating at international school-university partnership. Case Studies in International Education. 5(2). 11-13. https://www.csiepub.org/index.php/csie/article/view/168
Kondakci, Y. Student mobility reviewed: attraction and satisfaction of international students in Türkiye. High Educ 62, 573–592 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-011-9406-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-011-9406-2
Kumar, A. et al. (2024). Thinking Bharatiya, Acting Vaishwik in the Inter of Higher Education. HRC Journal of Economics and Finance, 37.
Thinking Bharatiya, Acting Vaishwik in Internationalisation of Higher Education
Liu, J. (2021). Chinese international students’ participation in the oracy demands of British higher education [Doctoral thesis, University of Glasgow]. Available at: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/82274/
Mitra, S. K. (2010). Internationalization of education in India: Emerging trends and strategies. Asian Social Science, 6(6), 105. Available at: Internationalisation of Education in India: Emerging Trends and Strategies DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v6n6p105
Mittelmeier, J. (2025). Against ‘Integration’ in Research and Practice with International Students. Journal of Studies in International Education, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/10283153241308744 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/10283153241308744
Murph, Y. U., Avoka, A., Jimoh, I. O., Rurangwa, F. (2024). Breaking mental health silence: Men from different cultures and generations inspire and support each other. Case Studies in International Education. 5(2). 3-5.https://www.csiepub.org/index.php/csie/article/view/165
Ng, J. (2021). Fitting In on Campus: How Acculturation Orientations Shape International Students’ Experiences of Restorativeness, Felt Belonging, and Comfort [Doctoral thesis, University of Exeter]. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/docview/2636095498?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses
Odegbami, O., Ogunfiditimi, O. (2024). Navigating identity and safety: Supporting LGBTQI international students. Case Studies in International Education. 5(2). 17-18. https://www.csiepub.org/index.php/csie/article/view/166
Qiqieh, S. (2021). An Exploratory Study of Factors Influencing the Transition of International Students in Their First Year of Study in A Multicultural Institution in The United Arab Emirates [Doctoral thesis, University of Liverpool]. Available at: https://www.proquest.com/openview/a617ff64b19c588f2e4e4fadf8bb17c8/1.pdf?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=2026366&diss=y
Slater, K., Bryson, T. (2024). Athletes abroad: Launching a study abroad initiative for division 1 college athletes. Case Studies in International Education. 5(2). 19-22. https://www.csiepub.org/index.php/csie/article/view/160
Stallivieri, L. & Vianna, C. (2020). Responsible internationalization: new paradigms for cooperation between higher education institutions. 14. 09-30. (PDF) Responsible internationalisation: new paradigms for cooperation between higher education institutions
Stier *, J. (2004). Taking a critical stance toward internationalization ideologies in higher education: idealism, instrumentalism, and educationalism. Globalization, Societies and Education, 2(1), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/1476772042000177069 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1476772042000177069
Tokas, S. (2017). International students in India: A study of their motivations and mobility experiences [unpublished doctoral dissertation]
Tokas, S., Sharma, A., Mishra R., Yadav, R. (2023). Non-Economic Motivations behind International Student Mobility: An Interdisciplinary Perspective. Journal of International Students.13 (2), p. 155-171. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v13i2.4577
Wen, W., Wang, L., & Cui, Y. (2022). International student education in China: An “Island” in Internationalization? International Journal of Chinese Education, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/2212585X221136900 (Original work published 2022) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2212585X221136900
Yao, C. W., Mwangi, C. A. G., & Brown, V. K. M. (2019). Exploring the intersection of transnationalism and critical race theory: A critical race analysis of international students' experiences in the United States. Race Ethnicity and Education, 22(1), 38-58. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2018.1497968 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2018.1497968
Zhao, X. (2021). Understanding International Postgraduate Students’ Adjustment in A British University: Motivations for Study Abroad and Subsequent Academic, Sociocultural, and Psychological Experiences [Doctoral thesis, University of Newcastle upon Tyne]. Available at: https://theses.ncl.ac.uk/jspui/handle/10443/5548
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of International Students

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) [year] [author]
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0












