A study of target customer perceptions about foreign participation in higher education space in India

The Indian government has set an ambitious target of doubling the gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education from the present 15% to 30% by 2020. In order to achieve this target, an additional investment of $190 billion has to be made in the next eight years which the government would not be able to provide by itself. Therefore, it is imperative for foreign investment and expertise to flow into the education discipline for enhancing the standard of our higher education institutions.

A questionnaire based survey was administered among 200 target customers of Kerala's student community to determine their perceptions about foreign participation in the higher education space in India. This empirical study attempts to analyze the drivers of demand for higher education, the gaps in the current education space, scope of foreign participation and customer expectations from the same. The study may assist stakeholders in understanding the determinants of demand for higher education in emerging markets like India and help incumbents design their entry, growth and investment strategies in these markets.