A global education means not only attaining degrees which are accepted globally but also gaining a wider cosmopolitan exposure and experience

In an era of a flat world, the boundaries of the countries are diminishing and organisations are hiring professionals beyond the geographical boundaries. In this dynamic environment it is very important for the students to be ready for global opportunities. And to grab these opportunities, one needs to have a global education. Global education means not only attaining degrees which are accepted globally but also a wider cosmopolitan exposure and experience.

Global education is an education perspective which arises from the fact that contemporary people live and interact in an increasingly globalised world. This makes it crucial for education to give learners the opportunities and competences to reflect and share their own point of view and role within a global, interconnected society, as well as to understand and discuss complex relationships of common social, ecological, political and economic issues, so as to derive new ways of thinking and acting.

Especially over the past two decades, Indian students’ mobility to foreign universities has become an integral part of India’s higher education landscape. Overseas education is no more a domain of only the rich in India. Even middle class students have been expanding the breadth of their abilities by acquiring enhanced academic knowledge overseas. Indian parents also do not measure education in terms of its costs which explain why Indian students form the largest contingent of international students in foreign universities. According to various reports,12,500 students went to Canada;104,897 to U.S.A; 59,719 to Australia; 12,000 to New Zealand and 57,500 to UK in 2010.There are various reasons for Indian students preferring overseas education over studying in India.nIndian education system: Though the higher education system in India comprises of more than 17,000 colleges, 20 central universities, 217 state universities, 106 deemed universities and 13 institutes of national importance these are not sufficient for the growing population of India. Moreover the teaching mode is largely theoretical and practice and application of the subjects is minimal.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Global Production Engineering,Internet MBA and Intelligent Software Systems.

Increasing per capita income: There is a demand for quality education among India's burgeoning middle classes and they are ready to spend extra for global education.
Cultural exposure: Students can have exposure of other cultures. One of the biggest advantages of studying abroad is the overall value it adds, not only to the degree or qualification sought but also to oneself as an individual.Better financial prospects: Overseas education is considered a ticket to global careers as ‘global minded’ professionals are in demand. Some studies reveal that students who study abroad have a more expansive world-view and therefore employers perceive such students as independent.

Flexibility: One of the most appealing aspects about studying at a foreign university is the flexible multi-disciplinary approach towards academics. A degree is tailored to suit the interests of the students.

Newer courses: Studying abroad exposes a student to a varied range of courses and programmes that are not available in India.

Cost effectiveness: Cost of education is also one of the major enabling factors for the outward flow of students. Higher education costs in India are ridiculously low compared to most advanced country, but this is so only in government run institutions. Private higher education institutions that have mushroomed all over the country charge stupendously high fees and provides substandard education. For the same cost, a student could get better education abroad along with international employability.

Though there are innumerable benefits of studying abroad, there are a lot of complexities involved too. Of late there have been instances of closure of various private institutions in UK and Australia, jeopardising the future of thousands of students. Thousands of applications from India also got rejected by U.K and Australia because of document fraud.Some students have even fell prey of illegal human trafficking. Malta Boat tragedy is one such an unfortunate case. 300 youths, including 170 from Punjab, lost their lives in the Malta Sicily Channel, near Italy international waters, after the boat collided with a ship during an illegal mid-sea transfer.

Therefore, before enrolling in a foreign institution, it is essential for the students to find out as much as they can about the accreditor and the institutions it accredits, as well as the recognition process of the foreign education ministry. They should strictly prevent usage of fraudulent documents as it gravely hampers their dream to study abroad.Students should also be wary of fly-by-night immigration consultants who suggest admissions in not so credible colleges thereby jeopardising the future of the students. International education is a valuable industry forwarding a noble cause and should not be hijacked by the illegal and unethical behaviour of desperate visa seekers.