Why Indian B-Schools Struggle to Go Global

Global Dreams, Local Limits: Why Indian B-Schools Fail to Internationalise – Outlook Business https://lnkd.in/gh3hWw8u A case study of high ambition and vision and poor execution !! There are three broad dimensions under the internationalisation umbrella: structural, policy, and strategic. First, critical attention is needed in the structural orientation of Indian institutions. Most business schools and management institutes are not truly designed for internationalisation. With a few exceptions, which include IIMs and select private institutions, Indian management schools lack autonomy, global faculty exposure, lack of summer schools, joint research programs, campuses abroad, language barriers, gender diversity and underdeveloped research ecosystems crucial to lure international students and foster essential academic collaborations. ..… Institutions are driven to pursue performance metrics that may not be consistent with international norms. Failure to implement erodes the impact of internationalisation initiatives. While the NEP has outlined an ambitious goal, institutional implementation is impeded by bureaucratic roadblocks under the strategic dimension, such as a lack of clear vision, mission, goals, and inadequate supply of finance..... many institutions are either ambiguous or have no distinct committee or division solely focused on internationalisation. ....State universities and many private schools confront infrastructure and technological challenges that impede their capacity to provide internationally competitive education. Despite NEP's emphasis on digital learning and international collaboration, the digital divide, particularly between urban and rural institutions, ensures unequal access to global platforms. Faculty development has remained a neglected theme. ... There is no shortage of challenges faced by the Indian institutions. State universities and many private schools confront infrastructure and technological challenges that impede their capacity to provide internationally competitive education. Despite NEP's emphasis on digital learning and international collaboration, the digital divide, particularly between urban and rural institutions, ensures unequal access to global platforms. Faculty development has remained a neglected theme....... National rankings and accreditation systems, such as the NIRF, must evolve to include globalisation-focused metrics. These should assess student diversity, foreign faculty ratio, the number of active international MoUs, and global employability outcomes. Only when the performance assessment system values internationalisation will institutions shift their priorities meaningfully. and so on Very thematic Article based on analytical understanding of majority HEIs if they seek to attain Global Quality and Governance Benchmarks !!!!!

How can we make #internationalization and #mobility more inclusive, balanced, and greener across Europe? And how can we develop and implement adequate strategies and policies for this purpose? These were the key topics during a Peer Learning Activity organized in The Hague this week by the European Bologna Working Group. Invited by the #Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the #NUFFIC, I was delighted to participate in an expert panel with Jos Beelen and Eva Haug, pleasantly facilitated by Rob Kuipers, and to guide highly interactive discussions with colleagues from across Europe, working in different types of higher education institutions, national agencies, ministries, quality assurance bodies, Erasmus agencies, with a Rector's Conference, etcetera. It was fascinating to experience the #diversity in backgrounds, contexts, roles, and perspectives of the participants, alongside the #commonalities in the challenges we face with #internationalization and #mobility in our rapidly changing political, societal, and educational context in Europe. Examples of some of the issues we discussed: -What makes a successful strategy for internationalization and mobility? - How to connect and support all higher education institutions in your country equally, if you work at the national level? - What does the mainstreaming of internationalization in higher education imply for strategies and policies? - How do I get my leadership on board with internationalization? - How do you engage all these different stakeholders? After a full day of presentations from, for example, Matej Bílik from #OECD and Noah Sobe from #UNESCO, and rich, critical conversations, I have developed new insights, established new contacts, and strengthened others. My key take-aways: - We have similar goals, share similar values and principles, and face similar challenges; - We need more structured, comprehensive, integrative process approaches; - We need to address the negative side effects of internationalization and mobility at a European level; - Try to understand where the other person is coming from, be aware of your own assumptions, and challenge yourself; - Continue to ask the why-question; - Internationalization is much more than mobility and can mean something different depending on the context and the stakeholders; - Definitions can provide direction for developing shared understandings, but are always simplifying reality and therefore limiting (by definition); - In close collaboration, we need to investigate the tensions, think beyond dichotomies, and develop new perspectives and process approaches for working with internationalization and mobility alongside diversity, sustainability, and technology; - Depart from a planetary, human perspective with a transformative, holistic, integrative agenda. During this day, I shared my insights from my research about internationalisation as a dynamic organisational change process: 10.33612/diss.987820541

📢 New Paper Alert: Early Internationalization: A Meta-Analysis of Antecedents, Dimensions, and Performance Authors & affiliations Hadi Fariborzi (Mount Royal University). Alain Verbeke (University of Calgary; University of Reading; Vrije Universiteit Brussel). Piers Steel (Mount Royal University). This comprehensive meta-analysis (426 samples from 378 studies) maps which individual-level and firm-level resources drive early internationalization (speed, scope, intensity) and how those dimensions relate to post-entry performance. The study highlights the value of multilevel resource bundles (e.g., R&D vs marketing) and shows that faster entry is not always better for performance. 🌐 Access the full paper here: https://bit.ly/4hzuc1u #EarlyInternationalization #InternationalBusiness #MetaAnalysis #JournalOfManagementStudies #INVs #JMS #JMS_Journal #Wiley

FROM LANGUAGE TO LABOR: CHINA’S NEW MODEL OF SOFT POWER IN CENTRAL ASIA By Nargiza Muratalieva and Eldaniz Gusseinov On November 21, 2023, Kyrgyzstan signed a five-party agreement with Chinese universities and construction companies to establish the first #LubanWorkshop in Bishkek. By October 2024, the center was operational, featuring three smart classrooms and 14 laboratories worth about $1 million in donated technology. A second site in Osh is planned. By September 2025, all five Central Asian states hosted Luban Workshops, making the program a regional system rather than a one-off initiative. Beijing is embedding its technical standards directly into the region’s labor markets — turning #softpower into a form of structural influence. CHINA IS ADAPTING ITS SOFT POWER The workshops provide practical training in robotics, hydrodynamics, intelligent power systems, and IT. Most graduates are expected to find jobs within #BeltandRoad projects, such as the construction and operation of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway. This approach contrasts with Confucius Institutes. Language and culture programs polish China’s image, but vocational centers create measurable dependencies. In 2023 alone, 5,986 Chinese vocational courses were adopted abroad. For Beijing, this ensures a pool of “compatible” personnel, cultivates political goodwill, and accelerates the spread of its industrial ecosystem. The expansion comes at a moment when US and EU soft-power programs have contracted. Beijing is stepping into that vacuum with a model less about culture and more about employment — linking young professionals directly to Chinese companies or joint ventures based on Chinese standards. BENEFITS AND DEPENDENCIES For #Kyrgyzstan, the benefits are tangible: access to modern labs, reduced youth unemployment, and international exchanges. Training is tied to Chinese hardware and curricula, narrowing adaptability to alternatives. Over time, educational norms and methodologies may shift as Chinese standards become entrenched. The region gains modern education and technology, but key questions arise: how can Central Asian governments balance local labor needs with Chinese investment in vocational education, and how will they ensure alignment with national or international benchmarks? While the EU once emphasized student mobility and the US focused on liberal education, China now offers direct employment pipelines. The result is influence that penetrates deeper into economic structures than traditional cultural diplomacy ever achieved. Luban Workshops give China both an immediate workforce for its infrastructure projects and a long-term foothold in shaping regional institutional landscape. They represent an opportunity provided that Central Asian governments use them as a foundation for developing their own vocational systems, integrating diverse international standards, and ensuring that regional education serves national development goals.

Hey, Don, you talk a lot about how international education mostly serves the rich. Yes, I do. Because it’s the truth we all see but too few are willing to say out loud. The word “international” sounds noble, global, open, and forward-thinking. But in too many countries across the Global South, it has become a label for luxury. It doesn’t mean inclusive. It means exclusive. It doesn’t mean global. It means gated. I’ve visited schools that call themselves international but charge tuition higher than a family’s yearly income. Their classrooms are immaculate, their walls are filled with slogans about global citizenship, but outside those gates are the very communities they were meant to serve, shut out, priced out, left behind. These schools are not bridges. They are mirrors of inequality. The rich educate their children to manage the poor, not to understand them. Let’s be honest about what this really is, ... the globalization of elitism. Many of these “international” schools are franchises of Western systems, teaching in foreign languages, following imported frameworks, and exporting profit back to headquarters in London or New York. They produce students who are more comfortable studying abroad than building at home. It’s not education for empowerment. It’s training for departure. But it doesn’t have to be this way. I’ve seen international schools in Indonesia that blend global learning with deep respect for local culture, history, and faith. They work with public schools, offer scholarships, and include local teachers as equals. They show that international can mean connected, not colonial. The question isn’t whether global education is good or bad. It’s who it’s for, and what it’s for. If it doesn’t lift the city around it, it’s just another business with better marketing. If you’re reading this, talk about it. Ask questions. Challenge the system. Because the more we speak, the harder it becomes to ignore. LinkedIn has become a remarkable platform, not just for jobs or networking, but for building conscience across professions. Like all great tools, it’s still evolving. But it only works when we use it with honesty. So post, share, write. Keep the conversation alive. Education doesn’t change until we start talking about who it’s really serving.

Foreign investment is reshaping Thailand’s talent market and international schools should take note. As reported by The Bangkok Post (October 2025), new waves of foreign investment are driving demand for Thai professionals in advanced manufacturing, digital, and electric vehicle sectors. This shift will have a direct ripple effect on international schools. As global companies base more regional roles in Thailand, we can expect a more diverse admissions mix more Thai families employed by international firms and perhaps another inflow of expatriates. These families will look for strong English-medium learning, credible university pathways, and authentic bilingual outcomes. The opportunity is clear. Schools that align language strategy, STEM programs, and industry partnerships with Thailand’s evolving economy will lead the next phase of growth. Education and investment are moving in parallel. The most forward-looking schools will design for both. Sami Yosef Malia R. Janelle Torres #TheWeeklyEducationPulse #InternationalEducation #Thailand

𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸: 𝗢𝗰𝘁 𝟯𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 🕸️ 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 We keep learning more about Singapore’s connections to the Prince Holding Group, described by the US, in coordination with the UK, as “one of Asia’s largest transnational criminal organisations”, part of the global scamming industry. The Washington Post reported that as recently as last December, NTU “partnered with the Prince Foundation on an overseas learning program focused on expanding access to education and entrepreneurship”. An NTU spokesperson told the paper it worked with the group from 2022-24 on overseas programmes for students but does not have any ongoing collaborations. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲: 🛂 Lim Tean and the far right 🗣️The SG-Israel Wayang 🍳Free-range produce 🇮🇩 One Indonesian family’s property empire 🪏 John Miksic 🦜 The rhinoceros hornbill 🖼️ Singapore Biennale 🇸🇬 Read “Singapore This Week”, Jom’s weekly, opinionated update on our city-state. Link in the comments. Photograph by Jay Wong We believe the best way to fund deep, meaningful journalism is through our community of readers. This ensures we are accountable primarily to them. If you like our approach, and our work, do subscribe to Jom: jom.media/membership

🌍 International relations and university exchanges: A waste of time and money? Really? For those who think that international exchanges do not benefit universities, think again! Here's why they are essential: 1. Improving the quality of education  - Do you really believe we can do without diverse cultural and academic perspectives? These exchanges enrich our discussions and projects, making our programmes much more robust and innovative. 2. Research and innovation  - Do you think our research can thrive in isolation? International partnerships are crucial for obtaining funding, resources and new ideas. Without them, we stagnate. 3. Professional and academic development  - Are mobility opportunities superfluous? They are essential for our students and teachers to develop their linguistic and intercultural skills, connect to global networks, and broaden their horizons. 4. Attractiveness and reputation  - Do global rankings not matter? Think again. A strong international dimension attracts the best talent from around the world, enriching our campus and boosting our reputation. 5. Personal development of students  - Is becoming open-minded and empathetic global citizens really unimportant? International exchanges enable our students to acquire intercultural and linguistic skills, thereby increasing their employability. 6. Economic and social impact and contribution to peace  - Is the local and global impact negligible? International students and researchers stimulate local and economic innovation. Furthermore, by playing a key role in cultural diplomacy, we contribute to world peace. International relations and exchanges are not an option, they are a necessity. They prepare our students for a globalised world and enable them to actively contribute to a more peaceful future. 🌏✌️ #Education #International #Research #Mobility #Diversity #Peace #Innovation #USMB #UNITA

Are Asian students still heading to the ‘Big 4’? Or are new study destinations emerging for them? 🌏 Our experts Grace Zhu and Sarah Verkinova shared their insights on this very question in the latest Times Higher Education article. The piece brings together perspectives from key voices in global education, to explore how Asian students are reshaping international mobility trends. 💡 Our takeaway: Anglophone institutions should increasingly develop “near-home” dual-degree or pathway models for Asian students, linking Asian and European campuses. Such transnational education, through branch campuses or joint degrees, is set to become a core element of recruitment strategies for Asian students, provided quality assurance keeps pace. We also advise universities to diversify student recruitment beyond China and India, towards emerging markets such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Central Asia or LATAM. 🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/eAgwi-2C Thanks to Tash Mosheim and Paul Jump for this piece featuring industry-wide perspectives. Rob Grimshaw (StudyIn), Meti Basiri (ApplyBoard), Simon Marginson (University of Oxford), Futao Huang (Hiroshima University), Kyuseok KIM (IES Abroad), Philip Altbach (Boston College), Sagar Bahadur (Acumen, Part of Sannam S4 Group), Dr. Pushkar (International Centre Goa)

I still remember the moment: a large lecture hall in Dhaka, twenty-something Bangladeshi postgrads chatting about Australia as their launch-pad. That room reminded me of a changed world. For ANZ universities, the future of global engagement is not simply more students but a sharper strategy—one that fuses commercial durability with geopolitical purpose. Funding high-quality research, attracting global talent, and maintaining institutional agility demand markets that scale and diversify. In 2023, over 14,000 Bangladeshi students enrolled to study in Australia—a 70 % increase from the previous year and the highest number on record. Nepal sent over 37,000 students as of late 2021, one of the fastest-growing cohorts in the world. When we invest in high-growth, outbound-mobility nations, we build the engines of cash-flow, scale, and diversification. But commercial engines alone burn out without alignment. Long-term resilience comes from anchoring our efforts in partnerships that map to national strategy and regional priorities. According to the Australian Government’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy 2040, nations such as Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia already sit among the top 10 sources of international students. Meanwhile, countries like Cambodia are re-engineering their higher-education ecosystems—inviting premium, policy-aligned partnerships. By positioning in these environments now, ANZ universities can move beyond “fee income” and toward becoming regional partners of choice. They harness the commercial strength of engines like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Saudi Arabia to fund and fuel the strategic anchors—Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka—that secure long-term influence. These aren’t separate priorities; they’re a single strategic loop. Which markets sit in your “engine” bucket? Which belong in your “anchor” bucket? And, more critically, how are you ensuring the engines don’t overshadow the anchors? #StrategicLeadership #ANZHigherEducation #GlobalStrategy #CSO #DVC #FutureOfEducation https://lnkd.in/gySY3Mku