Rise in NRI student enrolment

Overseas students from the Gulf region find Chennai an attractive destination for tertiary education, says Dr Anand Jacob Verghese, Pro Chancellor, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science.

Excerpts from the interview:

Hindustan Institute of Technology and Sci­ence (HITS), established in 1985, is a Deemed to be University and offers a wide spectrum of undergraduate, post graduate, diploma; and research and doctoral programmes in diverse fields of Engineering, Technology, Management, Architecture, Liberal Arts, Applied Sciences, Design, Allied Health Sci­ences and Law. The Institution is part of the most reputed Hindustan Group of Institu­tions, Chennai and caters to the academic needs of over 18,000 students from India and overseas.

Students hail from Afghanistan, Bangla­desh, Bhutan, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Indonesia, Kenya, Korea, Liberia, Libya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Oman, Rwanda, Singa­pore, South Africa, South Korea, Sudan, UAE, Thailand, Vietnam, Tanzania, US, etc.

The university has accomplished its mission and its academic achievements are a testi­mony to the same. More than 80 per cent of students secure first class with distinc­tions year after year. Over 950 students have been placed in leading companies in India and abroad in the last three years. The students of this reputed institution are re­ceiving placement offers from leading com­panies in India and abroad. The institution has collaborative partnerships with leading universities in the US, Singapore, Australia, etc. It has students and faculty exchange programmes with leading international universities. The university has also has received numerous accolades and awards

With 292 colleges and 26 uni­versities, Chennai is home to some of the best colleges, universities and research institutes in the country. Tamil Nadu emerges as the top performer among the big states in the country, in terms of Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher educa­tion, at 49 per cent, according to the latest re­port of All India Survey on Higher Education 2018-19 (AISHE). The Madras Presidency was the chosen destination for students from all over India and abroad even during the British reign in the 19th century. Recognising this op­portunity and realising the need for an institu­tion that offers non-formal technical education our founder and Chairman, late Dr K.C.G. Verghese founded the Hindustan Group of In­stitutions in 1966. The establishment of Hin­dustan Engineering Training Centre (HETC) helped in the evolution of Hindustan Institute of Engineering Technology (HIET) which met this need.

For the past many years, Chennai has be­come a preferred destination for Foreign and NRI students. The number of foreign and NRI students applying for colleges and universities in Chennai has increased by almost 20 per cent in the last three years.

The future being driven by the Fourth Indus­trial Revolution, which will fundamentally be transformed the way we live, work and relate to each other, universities (including HITS) is offering innovative core and elective need of the hour and futuristic courses for resident and non-resident Indians students for their per­sonal and professional success for now and the future beyond.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WELCOME

Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science welcomes applications for admission from overseas students (namely foreign nationals and non-resident Indians) interested in pursu­ing their studies (undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD). Many NRIs are relocating to India and so, more than 50 per cent of all our over­seas students are NRIs from the Middle East. In fact, in 2020 there were more admission requests compared to previous years and the number is expected to increase in 2021.

POPULAR COURSES

The popular courses among Gulf NRI students are Aeronautical, Aerospace, Automobile, Me­chatronics, Biotechnology, Computer Science, Data Science, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, Data Analytics, Cyber Security, Fashion Design, Architecture and Business Management.

Hindustan Institute of Technology and Sci­ence has been receiving a lot of Gulf NRI stu­dents and the reason is our engineering courses have international recognition as per Washing­ton Accord and are Accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) which is a major requirement to work in the Gulf and foreign countries. All our courses are Industry endorsed and project-oriented in the emerging areas.

STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

Hindustan Institute of Technology and Sci­ence provides the opportunity for the stu­dents to participate in its international se­mester exchange programme, summer programme, study abroad, internship, etc. Also, HITS provides a twinning programme with partner universities in the UK, US, Ger­many, France, Australia, etc. with multiple options. They can study for two years in India and then move to a partner university for the next two years to complete the degree from the partner university.

WHY CHENNAI?

Chennai, the Detroit of Asia with a strong base in automotive, IT and many other industries has now emerged as the electronics, defence, and aerospace manufacturing hub of India and has become a key destination for NRI students. Our extensive alumni network and current student base add value through word-of-mouth to attract students from all over the world. Also, we plan to attract the students by participating in higher education exhibitions in the Gulf, direct interac­tion with schools and parents associations, pro­viding merit-based scholarships and through social media promotions.

PURSUING THE RIGHT COURSE IN INDIAN INSTITUTIONS

On par with the global standards, New India's Education Policy 2020 is giving importance to the quality of education and students' practical knowledge instead of just pushing them to­wards rote learning. Admission process for undergraduate courses (engineering, science, arts, law, management and architecture) for the academic year 2021-2022 is currently under­way in Chennai. The biggest worry for the NRI students is how to choose the right career path.

My advice will be: Review the website and research about the university, list the admission criteria, select an honest career option, find the right university for yourself, talk to admission counsellors, faculty and students. Then visit the university (physically or virtually), check the educational environment, labs, facilities, cul­tural diversification, internationalisation, fac­ulty, accommodation, location, transport link, course content, and pedagogy, and then apply before the deadline. Last but not the least, pre­pare well for your board examination.

Dr Anand Jacob Verghese

Pro Chancellor

Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science.

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