International Students in an Indian Technical University

Abstract

A qualitative inquiry into the presence of international students in an Indian Technical University, through the voices of the faculty, who are appointed as international students’ counselors. A case study methodology was employed with document analysis and interviews to perceive how technical faculty managed students from varying cultural backgrounds. International students were admitted by the Center for International Affairs, a body in the university, in the three categories, namely, foreign nationals (FN), children of nonresident Indians (NRI), and children of Indian workers in Gulf countries (CWIGC). The focus of counseling turned out to be largely on academic performance and related parameters like class attendance. Besides this, the majority of the international student population were the culturally similar students of Indian origin, with nonresident-Indian parents or relatives, living and working in Western and Middle East countries. These factors were the prime reasons that the faculty perceived themselves as well prepared to handle the role of international-students’ counselors. A limitation of the study was the low volume of international students and fact that the majority of international student population turned out to be the culturally similar students of Indian origin. Although cultural differences were few in such a case, there were inherent differences between the Indian education system and the educational systems of the origin countries, which provided the necessary focus. Perspectives on the impact of travel abroad, the reasons of internationalization in Indian universities, and the various problems international students face in a different education system were explored. The faculty counselors expressed their view that the university needed many preparatory reforms before it could confidently welcome a large number of international students from various countries.