KIIT ranked 5th in India for attracting foreign students

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is steadily emerging as a preferred destination for international students pursuing higher education, with Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) playing a pivotal role in this transformation.

According to a recently published NITI Aayog report on internationalisation of higher education in India, the number of foreign students enrolling in universities and higher educational institutions across Odisha has shown a consistent growth. Notably, during the 2021-22 academic year, Odisha recorded the highest inflow of foreign students for higher studies in the country.

The report highlights that Odisha now figures among the top 10 Indian states in attracting international students. Among eastern States, Odisha ranks first, while KIIT stands fifth nationally among private universities in terms of foreign student enrolment. Despite the presence of major metropolitan cities such as Kolkata and Hyderabad, Odisha has surpassed West Bengal, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in attracting foreign students.

This achievement has largely been possible due to KIIT, which alone hosts nearly 2,000 international students across various academic programmes. Importantly, the NITI Aayog report notes that out of 2,362 foreign students studying in eastern India, nearly 2,000 are enrolled at KIIT. Students from over 70 countries are currently pursuing education at the university. So far, about 5,000 international students have graduated from KIIT, while close to 2,000 students are presently studying here.

Although Bhubaneswar is a Tier-2 city with limited international flight connectivity, KIIT continues to attract students from across the globe due to its reputation for quality education, strong academic environment and comprehensive campus facilities.

Under the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, attracting a higher number of foreign students is a key objective for enhancing the global standing of the institutions. Academicians, appreciating the vision of KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta, have stated that in 2012, there were only 12 foreign students in Odisha, whereas today KIIT alone has over 2,000 international students. Samanta expressed confidence that the number of foreign students will increase further in the coming academic year. KIIT’s educational infrastructure, learning ecosystem, campus beautification, greenery and world class sports facilities have become major attractions for foreign students, he added.