[Reader-list] Research on Indian students abroad (Australia in particular)

[Michiel Baas]

Dear All,

I am a PhD student from the University of Amsterdam whose doing research on Indian students studying abroad, in particular in Melbourne (Australia). To cut a long story short (see information about my research below), I am looking for the following: 

- Indian students studying in Australia (Melbourne in particular) 
- Indians who have studied in Australia but who returned to India afterwards
- Indians who have studied in other countries and who would like to share their experiences with me (by e-mail)

INFORMATION: 
As Singh (1963) shows, from the 1870s onwards small numbers of Indian students found their way to Oxford and Cambridge. This was partly the result of the British who had opened up their examinations for the Indian Civil Services. Besides preparing for these examinations, in some prosperous Indian families, studying abroad had become the 'thing' to do. After Independence slowly the US started taking over the UK as most popular student destination. Interestingly this situation is about to change again. From the mid-nineties onwards the number of Indian students going to Australia for higher education has skyrocketed and Australia is now about to overtake the US in terms of Indian students going there. Prior to the economic liberalizations of the Indian economy in 1991, the number of Indian students studying in Australian institutions, across all education sectors (school, vocational and Higher) was 378.  Within a few years, though, the number of Indian students enrolled in Australian educational institutions had increased to several thousand.  This coincided with the liberalization of the Indian economy. According to recent statistics provided by IDP , there are nearly 12,000 Indians studying in Australia and IDP estimates that by the year 2025 this number will have increased to 90,000.

My main research questions deal with the reasons why Indian students decide to go abroad. Previous research in India showed me that for many this studying abroad is not so much about actually getting better education there, but much more about getting a permanent residency afterwards. And this probably partly explains why Australia became such a success story. I would like to know how they plan their lives abroad and what happens if they succeed or do not succeed in this. My main focus will be on Indian students in Australia but in addition I am also looking for Indians who have studied in other countries and who are willing to share their experiences with me. 

>From February onwards I will be in Melbourne for at least half a year to interview, talk to, meet up with Indians studying there. After that period I will go to India to meet up with students who have studied abroad in the past but then returned home to work there etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------

If you want/need to know more, do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards,

Michiel Baas