KIIT country’s 5th best university in attracting foreign students NITI Aayog Report on the Internationalisation of Higher Education in India

Odisha is steadily emerging as a preferred hub for foreign students pursuing higher education. According to a recently published NITI Aayog report, the number of international students enrolling in various universities and higher educational institutions across Odisha has been consistently increasing. As per the NITI Aayog report on the internationalisation of higher education in India, during the 2021–22 academic year, Odisha recorded the highest inflow of foreign students for higher studies.

The NITI Aayog report provides detailed information on the number of students studying in different states of India and the growth trends. Encouragingly, the number of foreign students in Odisha has risen. Odisha also figures among the top 10 states in India in terms of attracting international students. Among the eastern states of the country, Odisha ranks first; and KIIT stands at fifth place nationally in attracting foreign students. The report further states that despite the potential of metropolises like Kolkata and Hyderabad, Odisha has more foreign students pursuing education than West Bengal, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. It has been possible only because of KIIT, which has nearly 2000 foreign students enrolled in various courses.

Importantly, according to the NITI Aayog report, while a total of 2,362 foreign students are studying across various educational institutions in eastern India, nearly 2,000 of them are studying at KIIT alone. Students from over 70 countries across the world are pursuing education at KIIT, with the number of international students exceeding 2,000. In India, there are five private universities that have the highest number of foreign students. Among them, KIIT is ranked 5th.

So far, about 5,000 students have already passed out from KIIT, while nearly 2,000 are pursuing education here. Although Bhubaneswar is a Tier-2 city and does not yet have extensive international flight connectivity, KIIT continues to attract foreign students due to its reputation for quality education and the wide range of facilities and opportunities provided to students.

Under the Government of India’s New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, institutions and states that attract a higher number of foreign students are accorded greater importance and recognition.

Intellectuals and academicians have lauded the vision of Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT & KISS, for creating numerous opportunities for international students to pursue education at KIIT. “In 2012, there were merely 12 foreign students enrolled in Odisha, currently, KIIT has over 2,000 international students”, they stated

Dr. Samanta said that the number of foreign students at KIIT will increase in the coming academic year. The educational infrastructure, learning environment, beautification, greenery, and especially sports infrastructure, among other factors, have become the focal point of attraction for foreign students at KIIT, he added.