Mapping ICT-based internationalization of Indian higher education: Evidence from the National Capital Region of India Available to Purchase

Internationalization of higher education as a strategic policy is a relatively new phenomenon in India. Importantly, one of the several strategic policy initiatives recommended includes Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based internationalization. While the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to make India a ‘global educational hub’, there is a lack of literature on ICT-based internationalization of Indian higher education. Given the contemporary dominance of ‘West’ in the Internationalization of Higher Education (IoHE) through ‘consumption abroad’ (student mobility), ICT-based internationalization through ‘virtual mobility’ (programmes, students, and experts) can play a transformational role in IoHE for the ‘Global South’ including India. This paper attempts to map the ICT-based Internationalization of Indian Higher Education in National Capital Region to understand and analyze the objectives, perceptions, challenges, and benefits of ICT-based IoHE. The findings suggest that ICT-based internationalization is of top importance for only one-third of institutions compared to 88.46% faculty. Institutional leadership conceptualizes virtual internationalization as primarily a means to attract more international students and faculty, increase international networks, and enhance prestige or rankings. In contrast, faculty conceptualizes ICT-based IoHE very differently; for most, it is a matter of increased global, international, and intercultural teaching learning skills and increased international networking for research publication.