The UK provides Indian students a launchpad for a global career! How ?

Universities in the UK enable students to expand their horizons, by delivering key skills that can allow them to future proof their professional profiles, and be employable, even sought-after by employers, in a globalized market. This has been possible since the nation offers a strong curriculum backed by research and real-time learning.

In fact, Indian students recognise the edge they can get by pursuing higher education in the UK compared to other popular international destinations. In the past two years, both India and the UK have worked together towards Internationalizing higher education, with more plans of cooperation in transnational education. It therefore comes as no surprise that the UK has witnessed a sharp rise in study visa applications from Indian students. As per the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), the overall number of students from India in the UK in 2021/22 stood at 126,535, a rise of 50% compared with the previous year.

Here are a few reasons that make the UK a great stepping-stone for a global career after UG/PG courses.

Academic Quality and Curriculum 

The UK’s world class institutions offer high value credentials with a curriculum focused on research and innovation and practical application of all that students learn in the classrooms. With thousands of courses to choose from across 100 plus universities students have many options. Additionally, the availability of alumni support, student communities and experienced faculty really bumps up the experience for international students.

The UK’s flexible educational system allows students a chance to learn in a way that fits their lifestyle and professional goals. Students gain a distinct perspective from the UK’s blend of various cultures, modern thought, and interesting adventures.

The UK is also home to four of the top 10 institutes globally as per QS World Rankings 2023 and 81 in the list of top 1,000, making it the hub of quality education. The UK lays greater emphasis on balanced learning and prepares students for diverse scenarios. As per a fact reported by UUKI’s International Graduate Outcomes report, 83% of international graduates agree that their degree from the UK helps them secure a job.

Scaling Employability

A college degree from the UK holds tremendous value and can provide a foot in the door for many opportunities. The employment opportunities in the UK have received a leg up with the launch of the Graduate Route. Introduced in July 2021, the GR permits Indian graduates to stay back in the UK and find employment in an allocated time of two years, while students with doctoral (Ph.D.) qualifications get an extra year. The prospect improves possibilities for Indian students looking to gain work experience in the UK. Students also get many opportunities to upskill their skill set through internships and placements while studying.

At UK universities the programmes are designed with the goal of giving students a practical, relevant grasp of the disciplines that will give them a chance to find employment in an unstable and dynamic work environment. Also, the strong industry-academia link all but ensures relevant learning and relevant exposure. This also allows students to make strong influential professional networks.

Recognition of Degrees

Education, research and innovation are the key pillars of the India-UK bilateral relationship. On 21 July 2022, the nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to legally recognise each other’s academic qualifications. Under the agreement, all bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees are legally recognised. To clarify, higher secondary education credentials from India are eligible for admission to UK higher education institutions. Also, Indian graduates can now apply for post-doctoral degrees, which wasn’t possible previously.

This expansive cooperation between universities has further augmented the growth of direct linkages and alliances between higher education institutes of both countries, besides encouraging the two-way mobility of students, teachers and researchers.

The proof of mobility lies with the Graduate Entrepreneur Visa (Tier 1) which supports graduates with a business idea to set up their establishments in the UK. The historic agreement also has a potent impact on facilitation of mobility. This means movement of students and academicians back-and-forth between India-UK, making it convenient to work or pursue higher education.

Conclusion

Right from quality and value of education to establishing a support system, the universities in the UK have made it possible for international students to access training in science, technology, arts, culture, business and many more disciplines opportunities to be equally shared. With the ever-increasing demand to hone dynamic skills, the launchpad is well and truly available. Also, with programmes like Graduate Route and MRQs the transition for Indian students to kick-start their career will further ease.