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| Books and beyond: Webster University in Thailand |
Singapore? Ah, great holiday destination! But do people go there to study?
Whoever Harsh Pagaria, 27, shared his career plans with back in 2006 had one advice: try the UK, the US or Australia. Today, armed with an MBA from Down Under, Harsh advises students in Calcutta aspiring to study abroad to look beyond the obvious foreign study destinations.
If not Nottingham, why not Nanyang? Or Wuhan rather than Winnipeg?
“I was all set to study accountancy in Australia after finishing my graduation from Bhawanipur Gujarati Education Society College but it didn’t work out for various reasons. Then one day I met a friend who knew someone who was studying in Singapore and I was like ‘Hmmm… I can go there too’,” recalls Harsh.
Google did the rest. A list of study and scholarship options popped up on his computer screen and Harsh was soon on a plane to Singapore.
“It’s not a second option anymore. Asia deserves to be the first option, provided people are making informed choices. It’s just that many students are unaware of what is on offer,” insists Harsh. “One can study hotel management in a reputable Singapore institute for Rs 2.5 lakh and do an MBA for Rs 5.5-6 lakh.”
Time was when a foreign degree was considered worth the paper it was printed on only if it came with the tag of Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard or Yale. For those without Oxbridge or Ivy League potential, the choice would boil down to any university or institute — even nondescript ones — in Europe, America or Australia.
Today, many in Calcutta are looking beyond the traditional choices, and at Asia in particular. “Why shouldn’t they? Asian institutions score high on quality, accessibility, affordability and safety,” says Vanita Ganguli, the director of Saraswati Online.Com.
So Thailand is no longer just about sun, surf and shopping. Or China the land of communism, cheap electronics and chow mein. Names like Nanyang Institute of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Webster University: Thailand campus and Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) are now among the biggest attractions at education fairs in town.
Look east
“Singapore is a very popular destination. In fact, it is considered the education hub of Southeast Asia. Students are also showing interest in Thailand and Malaysia,” says career consultant Abhishake De Sarkar of Advent Education.
According to Sugata Das of Global Reach, which represents several Singaporean institutions like James Cook and MDIS in the city, Asia has emerged as a popular choice over the past five to six years.
The reasons may be varied but affordability is Asia’s USP.
“The cost (of study and living) for a student in the US can be anywhere between $20,000 and $60,000 a year, depending on the course, institution and the location. In general, opportunities for scholarships are higher in doctoral and masters programmes than in undergraduate courses,” says Shevanti Narayan, regional officer and education adviser, United States-India Educational Foundation.
Money matters
The cost of a foreign degree from closer home is half the amount a student would need to spend in the West. “A masters programme in the US would cost around $30,000-32,000. The cost of living would come to another $30,000. In Thailand, the same programme costs $15,000 and the cost of living is $6,000-7000,” says Samrat Ray Chaudhuri, a Calcuttan who is the associate director of Webster University, Thailand.
“A student who needs to spend Rs 40,000-42,000 a month in the US can get by with Rs 12,000 in Thailand,” adds Pratik Banerjee, a 23-year-old MBA student there.
The quality on offer for that price is the best part of studying in Southeast Asia, say students.
Pratik admits that he would have gone for a management degree in the UK had scholarships not dried up at the time because of the recession, but he doesn’t regret selecting Thailand either.
“I don’t know about IIM standards, but I did exchange notes with a friend of mine studying management here and found out that Thailand offers much more industry exposure. The technology we use is also far superior,” says Pratik.
While most Calcutta students go to the US and the UK for masters and doctoral programmes in conventional subjects ranging from English to engineering, Southeast Asian and Chinese institutions are a blessing for those not wanting to tread the beaten track. Novel subjects like casino management share space with the regular medicine, hospitality, tourism management, international relations and communication courses.
The universities, at least the private ones, are also easier to get into — the cut-offs are usually 65 per cent in Class X and 55 per cent in graduation. The quality benchmarks for private institutes are also much higher than in Bengal, where the quality of private technical education has long been a sore point.
American and Australian universities with campuses in Thailand or Singapore are the most-sought-after because they supposedly amalgamate the best of both continents. “The standard of education is the same in the US and Asian campuses of the same institute. Professors from the mother campus regularly visit us and projects are offered in countries like Australia,” reveals Pratik, who “chose” to do his project with Coal India.
Although most Calcutta students don’t mind coming back to India for jobs, growing employment opportunities across Asia is also a pull factor.
“Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are the Asia headquarters of various MNCs, which ensures a steady supply of jobs for students who study there,” says De Sarkar. “If a student has good potential, then getting a job is not difficult in the country where he or she is studying.”
With a large pool of students eager to study abroad, Calcutta is on the promotion list of almost every major university or institute in Asia. Some walk the extra mile to make Indian students feel at home.
Anil Punjabi, the chairman (east) of the Travel Agents’ Federation of India, remembers how the Thai government had arranged for a group of students from city schools to travel to Thailand to explore study opportunities there.
“They often partner Indian institutions and promote student and faculty exchange programmes,” says Ganguly of Saraswati Online.Com.
For students used to queuing up for hours to collect admission forms and meeting rather unfriendly faces behind the counters, the extra attention from foreign institutions more than makes up for the initial apprehensions. Cars are sent to the airport to pick up freshers and accommodation is a choice between hostels and well-appointed private apartments.
“I chose an apartment arranged by the university authorities. It is really nice,” says Pratik.
The only challenge for students is to learn their sawatdee ka (“good morning” in Thai), maafkan saya (“excuse me” in Malay) or ni hao (“hello” in Mandarin) as quickly as possible.
“The Thais insist on speaking their language and are sometimes difficult to understand in English. Communicating was a problem in my first year but now I have picked up the basics and I can make myself understood quite well,” smiles Pratik.
Food poses a problem for a few, though Calcuttans with their love of eating are known to adapt fast. For vegetarians, the issue is availability. “Don’t expect Paneer Manchurian on the hostel menu,” warns a south Calcuttan who ate an egg for the first time in Wuhan.
Finally, for the easily homesick Calcuttan who wants both a foreign degree and Ma’s machher jhol, falling airline fares to and from Southeast Asia has ensured that he or she is just a short flight away from home. And Singapore is not cold like Seattle either.
Shreyoshi Mukherjee
Pursuing PhD in theatre studies at National University of Singapore
“I find the academic environment here very interesting. I study with Singaporeans, Chinese, British, Mexican and Indian students. Our diverse backgrounds and knowledge bases make the experience challenging and stimulating. There are good scholarships on offer and infrastructure is great for research.”
Ayanta Ganguly
Studying MBA at the Thai campus of Webster University
“The quality of education is really good and the cost suits the middle-income group. Also, I think the Southeast Asian economies are booming and getting a job here is easier. But there aren’t that many campus interviews”.
Pratik Banerjee
Studying MBA at the Thai campus of Webster University
“I wouldn’t know about IIM standards, but I compared the study pattern with a friend studying in a Calcutta institute. In Thailand, we are given a lot more practical exposure, which helps us understand the industry. Also we use more advanced technology.”
Cost of Study
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US: Rs 10 lakh to Rs 27 lakh per year, depending upon the course and institution
China: It is possible to complete a course in medicine for Rs 15 lakh. It varies for engineering & management courses
Southeast Asia: A diploma will cost Rs 2.75 lakh to Rs 3.25 lakh, while degrees like an MBA will cost Rs 6.75 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh
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