© AGCAS Does UK study really give Indian students an advantage when they return home? Dr Ged Hall Liverpool Hope University 1

© AGCAS Workshop outline Indian context Project methodology Findings from returning graduates Findings from employers Project outputs for 3 Indian states Recommendations (similar to findings from AGCAS / NASES report Feb 10) – For Indian graduates – For careers services – For institutions 2

© AGCAS Indian context Fierce competition for graduate level jobs; especially those with high status. Increase university enrolment from 12% to 30% by 2025 (more than 30m students!) Huge country with real variations across States and within States – Cost of living and tax structures – Opportunities / industries

© AGCAS Project methodology Mined alumni database for Indian graduates – 151 gave basic information; 19 gave detailed information; 3 in-depth case studies Used local institutions for initial introductions to employers – 113 employers in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. – Not evenly split Basic survey questions with more detailed follow-up Employed current Indian students 4

© AGCAS Returning graduates Over 90% saw employment in India as their second preference Few had planned / prepared for returning – No evidence that this prep had really helped Over 50% said that more information Indian employment should be available in UK All wanted more support for visa applications Felt that UK employers were nervous about immigration law 5

© AGCAS Returning home Most reported sense of – Dislocation, Disorientation and Isolation Most wished they had now prepared – Drive to remain overseas was all consuming – Only thought about returning when visa application unsuccessful Lack of local knowledge – Pace of economy; knowledge out of date – Size of country; knowledge localised 6

© AGCAS 7 Employer findings Most would only take ‘in country’ applications – Or at most returning home within weeks Recruitment processes are rigid; clearly laid out on websites All overloaded with local applications – Around 20 per job Negative perception of returners – Don’t want to work in India! – Unrealistic expectations – Adapting to Indian work culture

© AGCAS 8 Employer views of HEI status Graduates from IIMs and IITs actively head- hunted; all employers Graduates from Oxbridge type HEIs have positive perceptions; but not as high as IITs Graduates from other UK HEIs often not perceived more favourably than local HEIs (even those below IIT / IIM level) Exception was employers with strong UK outsourcing business (e.g. IT)

© AGCAS Employer perceptions All were favourable to graduate level work experience abroad Some were sceptical about why students went overseas Some were sceptical about the quality of the academic experience compared to elite Indian institutions 9

© AGCAS 10 Employer contact details and state profiles and graduate case studies PMI2-Pilot-Projects

© AGCAS 11 Recommendations for returning graduates Always have a Plan B! Enhance employment prospects in India by: – doing graduate level work during your studies in the UK – Keep up to date with economic / business situation – Network as extensively as possible Work with careers staff to develop ways to ‘sell’ the academic knowledge and skills developed in UK study

© AGCAS 12 Recommendations for careers services Develop resources / information for all countries in your international student cohort Careers advisors need to develop expertise in recruitment practices in these countries – Perhaps have country experts Encourage international students to work on their Plan B Offer as much support as possible for visa applications

© AGCAS 13 Recommendations for institutions Read and act on AGCAS / NASES visit recommendations Key is to remember UK Higher Education (outside the elite institutions) does not generate added value in the eyes of Indian employers

© AGCAS 14 Does UK study really give Indian students an advantage when they return home? Views from the floor Comments Other recommendations

© AGCAS Acknowledgements Project managed by Andy Nimmo Graduate and employer contact provided by Shanmugavel Radhakrishnan and Nirav Patel Thanks to the Development Office staff for an excellent collaboration And of course PMI2 for the funding 15