Many Americans are surprised to find that more than 165,000 students from India are now studying in the United States, but for those familiar with India and its interest in education, this fact should not be surprising. India and the United States have considerable interest in each other, including more than $60 billion worth of trade in goods and services each year. And since India is the largest democracy in the world, citizens of both countries should have a natural interest in this relationship.
As with trade, where each trading partner meets the other’s needs for things that are impossible or impractical to produce at home, education gives students the opportunity to learn things that may be difficult or impossible to learn in their home country. Many Indian students come to the United States to study business, computer science, or engineering, gaining not only skills in a particular subject, but also gaining an invaluable understanding of the nuances of culture that contribute to an understanding of the people of another country. It’s a combination of enhanced skills and cultural literacy that allows students who participate in international educational exchanges to have an advantage over students who may only have technical knowledge.
Regardless of the topic, studying and living in another country provides insight that goes far beyond the textbook or classroom walls. What is sometimes forgotten is that this deep cultural knowledge is bidirectional. Students from the United States who come to India to study will find as much value in the new skills and understanding they acquire as Indian students in America. This is why more and more schools and even the U.S. State Department are encouraging students from the United States to study abroad.
It is simply impossible to be a truly international citizen just by reading about things or watching movies. Only by talking to people from another culture can one fully understand the two most interesting things to know about the world: how similar people everywhere are and how different they are. Only after this reality is internalized can people understand each other well enough to effectively develop sustainable global economic growth and contribute to a better business climate, creating jobs and prosperity for both sides of the exchange.
In addition to business opportunities, exchanges offer significant additional benefits; Improved global diplomacy, shared research opportunities, and new approaches to the arts and sciences easily come to mind. Can you imagine organizing an exhibition of Indian art to travel across America (or vice versa) without knowing the history and culture that produced the art in the first place? It’s not hard to see the increased potential and appeal for students beyond the traditional fields of business and science studies. The arts, humanities and many other subjects can also open the door to a future filled with opportunity.
The real question, then, is how can a student take advantage of this great opportunity? Isn’t it worth it to study at only one of the top ten schools? Isn’t it expensive? Isn’t international study available only to the most successful or gifted students? Fortunately, none of this is true.
First, there are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of excellent schools in the United States that accept international students. Look for schools accredited by recognized accrediting agents. Regardless of your choice of school, if a well-accredited school is chosen, the benefits of the deep cultural and technical understanding that await an international student in any discipline will be there.
Second, while education can certainly be expensive, each school is looking for different abilities, skills and experiences that will help create the school’s unique learning community. If you are smart, you can find schools that value your contributions enough to make it possible through some kind of financial aid.
