We are living in challenging and volatile times. Even before the pandemic, an increasingly polarised political landscape, socio-economic inequalities and climate change were issues that had been disrupting the international education sector. As a result of these environmental shifts, it is reasonable to conclude that how international students view the world – and their academic and professional prospects within it – are changing in tandem.
Through engaging a cohort which represents the opinions and sentiments of a section of one fifth of the world’s entire youth population, our groundbreaking 10K Indian Voices survey, we can begin to better understand how student sentiment is in the midst of a fundamental paradigm shift. By undertaking the largest study of Indian students to date, our team at Acumen has captured the perspectives of 10,000 young individuals at a unique point in time.
• How has the pandemic influenced their local and global outlook?
• What role does social media play in shaping their thinking & their decisions?
• What are their priorities in determining their education and career paths?
In addition, the 10K Indian Voices survey outcomes have been mapped against the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that were adopted by United Nations Member States in 2015, with an eye towards achievement by 2030. These interlinked global goals focus on an improved and sustainable future and have been highlighted as an important initiative by our student survey group, dominant representatives of the largest youth population in the world.
We at Acumen hope this report will help you address the aspirations and needs of those who will inevitably determine the future direction of global mobility. We are excited to be at the education forefront with such cutting-edge research, especially as we aspire to move past the pandemic towards a new and more optimistic future.
Best regards,
Adrian Mutton Founder and Executive Chairman - Acumen
CONTENTS
P.4 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
P.6 - INSIDE LOOK AT THE DATA: WHO, WHAT, AND WHERE
P.10 - MEET THE NEEDS OF GEN Z AND BEYOND
P.12 - WHAT 10K INDIAN VOICES TEACHES US
P.14 - MEET YOUR AUDIENCE
P.20 - DEEP DIVE INTO THE FINDINGS
P.39 - CONCLUSION: WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
10K INDIAN VOICES
10K INDIAN VOICES IS A WINDOW INTO INDIAN GEN Z STUDENTS THOUGHTS, HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS.
Through Acumen’s unique, one of a kind, large sample size survey, unravel and know more about:
• What excites them?
• What inspires them?
• What are Gen Z Indians worried about?
• Which hot topics are they passionate about?
• How do they engage online?
• How has their education been affected due to COVID-19?
• What are the implications for international higher education institutions and universities looking to appeal to Indian Gen Z students?
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The 10K Indian Voices survey was designed to capture the sentiment of a student cohort representative of the largest youth population in the world. The groundbreaking survey – one of the biggest of its kind –explores how the so-called ‘Generation Z’ demographic in India perceives the world around them through the lens of academic and professional aspirations, the influence of social media, social activism and sustainability, and the impact of the pandemic.
The findings of our 10K Indian Voices survey indicate a shift in perspectives – while the desire to study at a branded university that results in promising professional prospects remains firmly in place, a keen awareness of global challenges with regards to hunger and poverty has emerged, along with the role youth can play to help address them.
AMONG THE KEY FINDINGS:
A SHIFT IN ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVES
• Many in the surveyed group aspire to pursue a career of choice, rather than be limited to more traditional professional pathways that ensure a high salary or networking opportunities
• In a similar vein, there is a growing desire to pursue their passion through higher education
• However, at the same time, many survey respondents want to study at a renowned university and, after graduation, work at a reputable company
• Ninety-three percent of survey respondents said they thought about sustainability daily, with Quality Education, Zero Hunger and No Poverty seen as the most important SDGs
• Making a difference in the world was cited by survey respondents as a priority
• In addition, survey respondents expressed passion about social causes
A FOCUS ON THEIR PERSONAL LIVES DURING VOLATILE TIMES
• Surveyed students said they have been negatively impacted by COVID-19, both in terms of their online learning experiences as well as their mental health
• Career growth was cited as their most pressing issue by 39 percent of surveyed students, followed by their mental health (21%) and their education (21%)
• Seventy-three percent of surveyed students use two or more social media platforms, with 96 percent of respondents using Instagram. Sixty percent of surveyed students spent 1-4 hours on social media, with 18 percent clocking in at over 4 hours daily
• Focus on applied-oriented practical learning rather than theory
• Help students develop transferable skills
• Include Sustainable Development Goals in the curriculum
• Supplement existing learning models to address possible academic setbacks that occurred with online classes during the pandemic
• Prioritise the mental and emotional health of students
• Consider opportunities for partnerships, blended learning, and alternative models of delivery
TAKEAWAYS FOR UNIVERSITIES TO ADDRESS NEEDS OF GEN-Z INDIAN STUDENTS
INSIDE LOOK AT THE DATA: WHO, WHAT, AND WHERE
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
India is the world’s largest democracy with a young, entrepreneurial population, making it a country with a bustling labour force. India continues to be an attractive and important ‘source country’ for students seeking to study abroad. The 10K Indian Voices survey is a unique, one of its kind survey, boasting 10,000 respondents, the largest sample size, of Indian Gen Z students to date (aged 18-23 years, born between 1998-2003.)
GAIN INSIGHTS
In this survey, we deep-dive into the lives of Indian Gen Z students, to better understand their hopes and desires from higher education. For us to get a closer read on this target audience with respect to higher education, it is key to holistically understand them - how they spend their time, their likes, dislikes, who inspires them, their views on sustainability and what their future aspirations are. Our aim in collecting and sharing this data is to enable higher education universities to better meet the needs and understand these aforementioned aspirations of their target audience, students.
The survey was undertaken in 2021, with multiple stages involved:
• Testing phase and initial responses
• Analysis and review
• Final survey roll-out TIMELINE
SURVEY PLATFORM AND OUTREACH METHOD
The survey was initially hosted on Google Forms and then Typeform (with the form being embedded on Acumen’s website and subsequently, ads being posted on social media platforms to target students to fill out the survey form).
SAMPLE SIZE
A total of 11,060 responses were received. After consolidation, 9,963 unique responses were validated and accepted.
FUTURE OUTLOOK OF THE 10K SURVEY
This 10K survey would serve as the baseline for future surveys, to map changes in students aspirations, influences and motivations. Acumen will apply these learnings to launch similar surveys in other geographic locations.
WHO DID WE SPEAK WITH?
AGE GROUP
18-23 years
GEOGRAPHY
Students were surveyed with representation from Northern, Southern, Western, Central and Eastern India across Tier 1, 2, 3 cities
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Current and recent undergraduate and graduate students (graduated within the last 3 years)
GENDER
A 2:1 representative mix of female and male participants respectively
10K SURVEY
A unique, one of its kind survey of Indian students that zooms into their lives to get a nuanced understanding of their aspirations from higher education.
GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD
10K SURVEY
10K Survey ensured a diverse mix of Indian voices across the country, with most responses coming from Tier 1 cities.
NORTH
REGIONAL RESPONSE
Tier 1: Delhi
Tier 2: Lucknow, Jaipur, Kanpur, Dehradun
CENTRAL AND WEST
TIER-WISE RESPONSES ACROSS INDIA
Tier 1 cities - 50%
Tier 2 cities - 27%
Tier 3 cities - 23%
Tier 1: Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad
Tier 2: Surat, Indore
SOUTH
Tier 1: Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore
Tier 3: Coimbatore, Ernakulam
EAST
REGIONAL RESPONSE RATE
Tier 1: Kolkata
Tier 2: Guwahati, Patna, Ranchi
Tier 3: Howrah
Top cities (across tiers) in terms of responses are depicted in each region (cities listed above are not exhaustive).
MEET THE NEEDS OF GEN Z AND BEYOND
THESE ASPIRATIONS RANK HIGHER THAN ASPIRATIONS THAT ARE TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH INDIAN GEN Z STUDENTS SUCH AS “HIGH PAYING JOBS” AND “NETWORKING.”
An increasingly complex and ever-changing Higher Education scenario demands agile, flexible higher education institutions.
UNDERSTAND INDIAN GEN Z STUDENTS’ HIGHER EDUCATION ASPIRATIONS
Gen Z Indian students want to:
1. Pursue a career of choice
3. Make a difference in the world
2. Gain fundamental skills
4. Study a passion through Higher Education
These aspirations rank higher than aspirations that are traditionally associated with Indian Gen Z students like “High paying jobs” and “Networking”. The 10K Indian Voices survey has highlighted marked shifts in the psyche and aspirations of Indian Gen Z students. Hence, it is crucial for HEIs and universities to first understand and then cater to these changing aspirations. HEIs can take note that:
1. Focussing on applied-oriented practical learning rather than theory
2. Developing skills rather than mere placements
3. Including Sustainable Development Goals in curriculum
ALL OF THESE MATTER TO INDIAN STUDENTS
While shortlisting country of choice for higher education, favourable immigration policies significantly impact and shape students’ opinion about the country, its education institutions and its regional leaders.
EFFECTIVELY TAP INTO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR OUTREACH
Instagram is a clear winner for social media outreach. Tapping into social media to create visual, evocative and interactive forms of content (a cost-effective and efficient strategy for increasing outreach for HEIs).
Create experiential stories of students based on testimonials (to make them relatable and real for students, appeal through word of mouth, peer group sharing, alumni networks, parent testimonials).
Circulate learning content and news pieces on social media as Indian Gen Z students are using it for learning, for activism and for staying informed. Social media has moved way beyond being social and hence important for HEIs to tap into this space where students are spending 4+ hours a day (meet them where they are are most active).
RECOGNISE & ADAPT TO THE IMPACT OF COVID-19
Understand and recognise gaps in holistic learning experiences due to COVID-19 (there is a huge opportunity here). Expand student support systems for mental well-being and greater technology adoption. Reassure students that negative impact on higher education is temporary (create confidence in a combination of traditional and new learning methods).
LEVERAGE E-LEARNING & TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS
Online learning is here to stay and grow so the HEIs can explore and develop both online and offline modes of learning through partnerships (validation of the need for a blended/hybrid learning model). Acceptance of e-learning platforms is high and students need greater flexibility and more technologically evolved platforms where personalisation based on individual learning needs is possible. Hence, universities can collaborate with e-learning platforms to cater to changing needs of flexibility and personalisation. A trend of taking charge of one’s learning with increased preference for courses that supplement classroom learning indicate that students are not merely looking at HEIs to fulfil their learning goals.
WHAT 10K INDIAN VOICES TEACHES US
1. APPEAL TO HIGHER ORDER ASPIRATIONS OF GEN Z INDIAN STUDENTS
2. RECOGNISE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON HIGHER EDUCATION
3. LEVERAGE SOCIAL MEDIA EFFECTIVELY
4. SPREAD WORD OF MOUTH THROUGH KEY INFLUENCERS
5. FAVOURABLE IMMIGRATION POLICIES MATTER FOR HEI ASPIRANTS
6. OPPORTUNITY FOR FLEXIBLE LEARNING
1. APPEAL TO HIGHER ORDER ASPIRATIONS OF GEN Z INDIAN STUDENTS
10K Indian Voices reveals early trends that Gen Z are more interested than previous generations in ‘higher order’ outcomes (e.g. making a difference to the world is important for 56% of students), rather than Return On Investment and higher salaries. Hence, universities need to integrate these higher order outcomes in course curriculum. They need to highlight the relevance of their course in creating social impact.
2. RECOGNISE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Universities need to recognise and adapt to the changing COVID-19 context: this means taking stock of the impact on students’ mental health, need for online and offline courses, appealing to social causes that students are passionate about and including SDGs in classroom conversations (93% of students think about sustainability everyday, in their life).
3. LEVERAGE SOCIAL MEDIA EFFECTIVELY
HEIs should leverage Instagram (96% of users) as a primary social media platform, balanced by Facebook and Snapchat (to leverage regional preference).
4. SPREAD WORD OF MOUTH THROUGH KEY INFLUENCES
Gen Z Indians are heavily influenced by friends and family, indicating a continuing need for HEIs to build meaningful referral, influencer, parent and alumni networks.
5. FAVOURABLE IMMIGRATION POLICIES MATTER FOR HEI ASPIRANTS
A country leader’s stance on immigration policies, matters significantly for students while narrowing down on a country of choice for higher education. Hence, universities need to partner with governments for student-friendly immigration policies.
6. OPPORTUNITY FOR FLEXIBLE LEARNING
Gen Z students value flexibility. They are net-natives and as such, expect online to be part of their higher education experience. This delivery expectation opens up models for blended learning and partnership delivery.
MEET YOUR AUDIENCE
AN INDIAN GEN Z STUDENT’S PERSONA: MEET SHIKHA*
Shikha is a 19 year old, who grew up in the Southern port city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. She is a second generation engineer and her parents wanted her to gain the technical skills that an engineering degree brings. Shikha is pursuing Mechanical Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Surathkal.
Studying during the pandemic was a challenge for her, she found her attention span dwindling and her screen time had become excessive. Often, her entertainment modes also involve additional screen-time she loves watching Hollywood movies on Netflix and likes grooving to Korean songs by BTS.
Being an engineer by profession, she is an explorer at heart. So, she pursued an internship with an education NGO - Teach for India, during her undergraduate degree. She feels passionate about social justice and feels that India lacks high quality education for most. The pandemic has made her realise that basic services like health and education are the bare minimum that youth should really demand, from governments.
Apart from engineering, she has heard about newer subjects like ‘Liberal Arts’ booming in India. Shikha was moved by reading ‘I am Malala’ - while she finds leaders like Malala and Alexandria Cortez motivating, she is closest to her youngest sister and mother.
Shikha’s ultimate dream is to be a financially independent young woman and is exploring MTech courses abroad. Her preferred countries are New Zealand and Australia, as she has heard among the Indian diaspora abroad that US work visa permits are becoming tougher by the day. Shikha has worked on strengthening her Linkedin profile as it’s her go-to avenue for knowing about newer opportunities and for learning
*The persona is representative to bring to life some key findings from the survey
Shikhar is 21 years old, living in the metropolitan city of Pune. He has completed a Bachelors in Business Administration from the Symbiosis Centre of Management Studies in Pune. Coming from a humble background and being the only child, he aspires to make it big and to make his parents proud one day.
He wishes to pursue a Masters in Business Administration abroad and is exploring countries like Canada, Australia and Singapore at the moment. Since graduating during the pandemic, he didn’t have much of a college life and didn’t get a chance to meet his classmates and interact with them. In fact his graduation was online! Overall, his graduation experience was bittersweet - he liked waking up and being able to attend classes online but the pandemic has taken a toll on his mental health as he worries about his professional future. He has little information on proceeding with university applications and with a ‘something is better than nothing’ approach, he has decided to take up a campus placement internship.
Shikhar loves spending time on Instagram - a platform that he feels is relatively clutter-free, compared to other social media platforms. He loves knowing what his friends are upto but often finds news and calls for activism on Instagram that his friends circulate.
Although Shikhar graduated, he feels that he doesn’t possess the skill sets to convert his current internship at Bajaj FinTech into a full time job. So, he has enrolled in a Business Analytics programme on Coursera and has taken up an Unacademy subscription. He intends to appear for Indian competitive exams for management programmes. He likes the flexibility that these platforms offer. His biggest goal is career growth and he is trying to self-learn to be able to make his next big education move.
*The persona is representative to bring to life some key findings from the survey.
AN INDIAN GEN Z STUDENT’S PERSONA: MEET SHIKHAR*
1. THE INDIAN GEN Z STUDENT’S LIFE CONTEXT
DEEPEST INFLUENCES
For 75% of students their deepest influences are personal experiences followed by peer groups (62%) and family (61%). And hence HEIs need to tap into personal networks: family and friends to spread the word.
IMMEDIATE FOCUS
Career growth is the most pressing, immediate focus (for 39% of students) followed by paying attention to mental health (21%) and to their education (21%). With this, HEIs need to make the career growth-education connect clearer while pitching programmes.
VIEWS ON SUSTAINABILITY
93% of students think about sustainability in their everyday life, with Quality Education, Zero Hunger and No Poverty as their most immediate Sustainable Development Goals. HEIs need to integrate sustainability and SDGs in their teaching-learning process - they clearly strike a chord.
STRESSES AND ANXIETIES
With mental health stresses and anxieties being amplified due to COVID-19, ‘Career Growth’ and ‘Job Prospects’ are top triggers. HEIs need to consider how best to support students in overcoming their stresses and anxieties.
ROLE MODELS AND INFLUENCES
Students are primarily inspired by role models such as - Malala and Modi (27% and 26% respectively) indicating a preference for role models that have showcased strong credentials in the development field or who like to walk the talk through their deeds. How can HEIs tap into popular student influences to build their institution’s narrative?
2. THEIR ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD
TIME SPENT ONLINE
60% of students spend one to four hours on social media platforms and 18% spend more than four hours. This calls for an urgent need for HEIs to tap into online media platforms for outreachthat’s where they are most likely to find their prospective students.
POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS USED
73% of students use two or more social media platforms. Instagram is the most popular social media platform used by 96% of respondents followed by Facebook (50%) and Snapchat (42%). HEIs must keep visual, evocative means of reaching out to students via popular social media platforms.
Apart from social networking, social media has become an important lifeline. It doubles up and acts as:
1. A major source of news
2. An avenue for learning
3. A means for activism
HEIs need to recognise that ‘social media’ is not just for the social, it's for learning, it's for updating oneself with news, to build communities.
How can HEIs devise creative ways to leverage social media for circulating news, learning and building community bonds?
3. IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON HIGHER EDUCATION
NEGATIVE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON HE OUTCOMES
60% of students highlight a negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on their higher education plans. Those negatively impacted voice the need for and lack of holistic learning opportunities. The question is how can HEIs do better at recognising and changing their offerings based on COVID-19’s negative impact on students?
MENTAL HEALTH IN FOCUS
COVID-19 has amplified the importance of mental health (21%) as one of student’s key focus areas. So much so that mental health concerns have taken a marginal lead over the need to focus on education (20.8%). There is a greater need to understand how HEIs can provide better mental health support to their students.
SHIFT IN MINDSET TOWARDS EDUCATION
Students are reflecting on their surroundings and the changing context. 49% of survey respondents said there needs to be equal access to opportunities. They desire to change the world through their learning and work. This begs the question how can HEIs integrate the changing global context in the classroom and cater to students’ aspirations to do good and make a difference to the world?
4. A GROWING DEMAND VOICED FOR ONLINE LEARNING
RISE OF SELF-LEARNING
Of students who reported positive educational outcomes, despite COVID-19, 75% have enrolled in new online programmes and learnt new skills. Hence, how can HEIs cater to students who desire to take charge of their learning and pick up new skills?
NEED FOR ‘BLENDED LEARNING’
60% of students indicate and voice a negative impact - mainly due to a move to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and addressing the need for more blended learning platforms has been voiced by 33.33% of these students. How can HEIs build effective, interactive tech-based blended learning models?
UPTAKE OF E-LEARNING PLATFORMS
Unacademy (34%), LinkedIn (23%), Coursera (16%) and Udemy (14%) emerge as winning online-learning platforms to supplement classroom learning. How can HEIs effectively collaborate and partner with these e-learning platforms to increase their reach, up their offerings and improve student learning?
MORE ‘FLEXIBLE’ AND ‘SPECIALISED’ EDUCATION
Having a host of courses to choose from online, students expect more from traditional education systems. 38% of students voice the need for greater flexibility and specialisation in higher education. How can HEIs step up their offerings to match up to and supplement flexibility and specialisation that ed-tech brings?
DEEP DIVE INTO THE FINDINGS
KEY FINDINGS: STUDENTS’ STATE OF MIND
The pandemic has revealed deep inequalities in Indian society and students voice the need for equal access to opportunities, basics like education to be taken care of by the state.
WHICH STATEMENTS DO YOU AGREE WITH?
15% - Large corporations should receive relaxation for regulatory measures
21% - Less government regulation is required for the economy to grow
24% - Reservations in jobs and education are still needed
26% - India will benefit from privatisation of sectors such as education and health
38% - Around the world, the wealthy should be taxed more (progressive tax system)
49% - Everyone in India has equal access to opportunities since it is mentioned in the constitution
84% - Basic necessities such as healthcare and education should be provided to all irrespective of their or their family's employment status
INEQUALITY AND INCOME GAP
Students today care about the inequality in society and 84% believe that basic necessities should be provided to all and 49% believe that everyone in India should have equal access.
Students are aware of the income gap and about two-fifths of students say that the wealthy should be taxed more.
KEY FINDINGS: ANXIETIES
While the impact of COVID-19 and implications on mental health remain their biggest anxieties, students turn to music, movies and more to relax and de-stress.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU ANXIOUS ABOUT THE WORLD RIGHT NOW?
More than two-thirds of students are anxious about mental health followed by COVID-19, job perspectives and inequality.
KEY FINDINGS: DE-STRESSORS
While the impact of COVID-19 and implications on mental health remain their biggest anxieties, students turn to music, movies and more to relax and de-stress.
WHAT ACTIVITY DO YOU ENGAGE IN TO RELAX?
2% - Others
22% - Socialize
32% - Exercise
47% - Read books
50% - Surf through social media
55% - Paint, sing, dance, cook, write, etc.
61% - Watch movies or TV shows
79% - Listen to music
DE-STRESSORS
To relax students listen to music, watch movies or TV shows, paint, sing, dance cook or write.
KEY FINDINGS: INTRINSIC MOTIVATIONS
Gen Z Indians are motivated by the desire to make the world a better place and aspire to study at a renowned university or work at a reputed company.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU THE MOST?
11% - Activism on Social Media
14% - Movies, TV Shows, Music
15% - Books
23% - Aspiration to study at a renowned university/work for a reputed company
37% - The desire to make the world a better place
~11% of respondents are motivated through the power of social media and activism
~30% of respondents find books, movies, TV shows, music etc. not only as a medium to learn but also to unwind (as a source of entertainment)
~60% of respondents reflect a positive sentiment to change the world and to study at a renowned university or work at a reputed company. Potential linkages between being able access high quality education and being able to making the world a better place
QUALITATIVE INSIGHTS
Global pop culture influences are big. Here is a quote by an Indian student on the Korean music band BTS: “I aspire to become a renowned professional dancer! I watch and follow artists who do a lot of hard work, day and night. Korean boy band BTS really motivates me to put in more efforts than I usually do.”
KEY FINDINGS: VIEWS ON SDGs
High quality education, zero hunger & no poverty. SDGs that appeal to Indian students and are immediate goals to be achieved - ultimately to make a difference to the world. The majority of students (93%) think about sustainability. Students want universities to prepare them to make a difference in the world.
WHICH ONE OF THESE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMMEDIATE GOAL TO BE ACHIEVED?
SDG 4
SDG 2
SDG 1
SDG 3
SDG 16
SDG 5
SDG 8
SDG 13
SDG 6
SDG 10
SDG 12
SDG 7
SDG 11
SDG 9
SDG 17
SDG 15
SDG 14
N/A
- Quality Education
- Zero Hunger
- No Poverty
- Good Health and Well-Being
- Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
- Gender Equality
- Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Climate Action
- Clean Water and Sanitation
- Reduced Inequalities
- Responsible Consumption and Production
- Affordable and Clean Energy
- Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Industry Innovations and Infrastructure
- Partnerships for the Goals
- Life on Land
- Life on Water
- I don’t think much about sustainability
QUALITATIVE INSIGHTS
"People don’t have the freedom to study what they want! In a broad spectrum that is, and that would take a lot more to explain what I feel because what I feel is felt by millions and it can't be written down here! Why can’t I study a social science subject as an engineer? I am passionate about making a change." - Survey Respondent
KEY FINDINGS: POPULAR INSPIRATIONS
Malala and Modi emerge as larger than life inspirations, indicating students focus on passion and action. Course curriculum can imbibe elements that enable students to achieve their personal, societal goals along with action-oriented and practical learning.
WHO ARE SOME OF THE INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE YOU LOOK UP TO?
1. MALALA YOUSAFZAI
2. NARENDRA MODI
5. MEDHA PATKAR
6. ASHOK ROW KAVI
KEY FINDINGS: HOW ARE LEADERS PERCEIVED?
USA, Canada, India and New Zealand’s leaders have improved their country’s reputation, but where the buck stops for students is favourable immigration policies.
WHICH LEADER BELOW YOU THINK ENHANCED THEIR COUNTRY REPUTATION THE MOST?
• ~90% students agree that leaders affect the perception of immigration. Leadership’s stance on immigration has been observed to directly affect students interest in the country.
• Student perception for Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau, Narendra Modi, and Jacinda Ardern is highly positive (note that this is prior to US’s exit from Afghanistan - Joe Biden’s rankings may have changed now).
• Negative perception towards leaders such as Xi Jinping and Donald Trump is primarily due to the geo-political, trade, economic factors that may have impacted India.
DO YOU THINK POLITICAL LEADERS CAN DAMAGE THE PERCEPTION OF HOW WELCOMING A COUNTRY IS TOWARDS IMMIGRANTS?
Note: Students were asked to give positive, neutral, negative rating to each leader. Ratings were used to calculate Net Promoter Score (NPS) i.e. % of positive - % of negative. % of neutral is ignored.
NPS - Net Promoter Score
Joe BidenJustin TrudeauNarendra Modi Jacinda Ardern Scott MorrisonBoris JohnsonXi JinpingDonald Trump
KEY FINDINGS: KEY INFLUENCES
While political leaders and celebrities remain distant, Indian students look inward to shape their life’s outlook - with deepest influences being personal experiences, peer groups and family.
WHAT HAS INFLUENCED YOUR OUTLOOK ON LIFE THE MOST?
Personal Experiences
Friends* / Social circle*
Family*
School
Local culture / Environment
Religion*
Pop culture
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
Three-quarters of participants cited personal experiences as the most important factor that influence their outlook towards life, followed by friends/social circle and family.
After personal experiences, female students skew more towards family, whereas male students skew more towards being influenced by peers and social circle.
Personal experiences, peers, family are geography-agnostic as influencing factors and apply across regions.
*Percentage is higher than the sum parts by gender due to difference in sample size as some respondents did not specify their gender
KEY FINDINGS: FUTURE OUTLOOK
With the pandemic bringing student lives to a standstill, career growth is their most immediate focus, followed by the need to improve mental well-being.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR IMMEDIATE FOCUS IN LIFE?
CAREER GROWTH
Career growth is the immediate focus for about two-fifths of participants, followed by the need to focus on mental health and their education.
KEY FINDINGS: IMPACT OF COVID-19
60% of students report a negative impact of COVID-19 on their studies leaving behind a glaring gap in holistic learning experiences.
HOW HAS COVID-19 IMPACTED YOUR HIGHER EDUCATION PLANS?
How has the pandemic impacted your learning style? (in a positive manner)
~42% I learned new skills through online programmes
~33% I enrolled in more online courses which were beyond my programme
~10% I participated in an online internship
~8% I found online mentors to guide me
~7% It only negatively impacted my learning style
Majority of positive students kept themselves engaged by picking up new skills and enrolling in online courses.
About three-fifths of students reported a negative impact of COVID-19 on higher education plans.
How has the pandemic impacted your learning style? (in a negative manner)
~5% I found online mentors to guide me
~8% I participated in an online internship
~13% I enrolled in more online courses which were beyond my programme
~14% I learned new skills through online programmes ~60% It only negatively impacted my learning style
KEY FINDINGS: PREFERRED SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
A review into social media platforms that are clear winners as a preferred mode of outreach.
WHICH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS DO YOU USE?
INSTAGRAM POPULARITY
Instagram is the most popular social media platform used by 96% of respondents followed by Facebook, Snapchat, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Snapchat is the second most used platform by female students, whereas male students prefer using Facebook.
Facebook is the second most used media platform in Eastern and Northern India, Snapchat is the second most used platform in Southern and Western India.
KEY FINDINGS: TECH & E-LEARNING PLATFORMS
A growing appetite for supplementing classroom learning with tech-savvy e-learning platforms.
WHICH PLATFORMS DO YOU USE TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR CLASSROOM LEARNING?
Unacademy (mainly used for grades 6-12 and for competitive entrance exams) is the most popular platform used by 1 in 3 students to supplement classroom learning.
LinkedIn (for on-demand courses) is the second most popular platform used by 1 in 4 students, followed by Coursera (driven by campus partnerships) and Udemy (for on-demand Courses).
These platform preferences are gender-agnostic and preferred by both male and female students.
KEY FINDINGS: EXPECTED COURSE OUTCOMES
Students with a refreshing take on education - pursuing a career of choice, building strong skills and making a difference as key expected outcomes.
COURSE OUTCOMES
Start a career in a field of your choice
Develop foundational skills
Make a difference in the world
Study a field you are passionate about Explore different fields and find my 'sweet spot'
Get a good credential for your CV
Get a high paying job
Network and make friends
93% OF STUDENTS THINK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE
17% - Quality Education 16% - Zero Hunger 16% - No Poverty 14% - Good Health and Well-Being 7% - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
EXPECTATIONS
• A marked shift in students expectations from their undergraduate courses: focus on skill building, exploring and building a career of choice.
• A strong desire expressed that Universities would help them in achieving sustainability goals.
• As tangible course outcomes, students take a long-term view and choose starting a career of choice and developing foundational skills over getting a high-paid job. RATE THE FOLLOWING COURSE
KEY FINDINGS: TIME SPENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
A ‘digital native’ generation spending 1-4+ hours on social media looking for news, learning, activism and more.
IN A DAY, ON AN AVERAGE, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
• More than three-fifth of students spend 1-4 hours on an average in a day on social media platforms
• About one-fifth of students spend more than 4 hours on an average in a day
DO YOU USE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR?
Apart from connecting with peers, social media has become a major source of credible news, as an avenue for learning and for garnering activism.
KEY FINDINGS: NEWS SOURCES
Aside from social, digital, traditional media, family and friends are trusted ‘news sources’.
WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR NEWS FROM?
Social Media
Newspapers
Digital Medium of Newspapers
Family/Friends
News Channels
News Websites
News Magazines
MOST CREDIBLE SOURCE OF NEWS
• Overall, social media is the most credible source of news for both male and female students followed by newspapers, digital news outlets, family and friends.
• Of student participants who selected only 1 option, 70% cited social media as their primary source of news.
• After social media, female students relied more on digital media, whereas, male students relied more on family and friend sources.
• After social media, students from Eastern and Northern India relied more on digital news outlets, whereas students from Southern and Western India skewed more towards family and friends.
KEY FINDINGS: PERSPECTIVE ON HIGHER ED
Indian students emphasise a pressing need for greater flexibility and personalisation in higher education.
PLEASE SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE CONTEMPORARY HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR
It needs to be more flexible/offer personalisation
Needs better blended learning platforms
Use of technology needs to be revamped
Need for more student support
Others
STUDENT NEEDS
• Personalisation and greater flexibility is the most pressing need, followed by the need for more blended learning platforms (e.g. mix of online and offline learning methods).
• Male students skew towards seeking a technological revamp as their second most pressing need, followed by the need for more blended learning platforms.
OUR STORY
In 2008, when Adrian Mutton and Kapil Dua founded Acumen in New Delhi, they wanted nothing less than to open up India to the rest of the world. They both knew, first-hand, the economic potential for what would soon be the world’s most-populated country. Education, in particular, was their focus as they helped Indian students pursue their academic dreams at universities overseas. With their personal, people-first approach, Acumen soon became the most-trusted name in the education sector.
Since then, we’ve gone from strength to strength, expanding our business to key countries across the globe – Singapore, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, among them. And at the same time, we’ve deepened our ranks, hiring experts in the UK, US and Australia who prioritise helping partners make headway into the world’s fastest-growing markets.
Our end-to-end approach empowers universities, educational institutions, and organisations to take their first steps onto the global stage. We're here every step of the way to provide the recommendations and resources needed to achieve positive results by offering both strategy, specialisation, utilising fit for purpose technology combined with expert local knowledge and insight. Our work consistently exceeds client expectations and is reflective of the depth and expertise of our accomplished team.
Despite our global growth, we remain deeply connected to our humble roots. We may have gone from a one-office start-up in India to a multinational company, serving partners in 50 markets across the globe, but we’ve retained the personal touch of a small company. And we’re proud that it's earned us the best partners in the industries we serve, whose loyalty over the years we value, way above anything else.
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
Ten years ago, the Indian students we were familiar with weren’t really concerned with anything beyond the end of their nose. They were only aware of their immediate surroundings, and they were not very socially conscious.
What the 10K Indian Voices survey has shown us is that a seismic shift has occurred.
Today’s Indian Gen Z student is very much aware and concerned about what's going on in the world. They are global citizens. All with distinct personalities; they take pride in being unique. Unlike the past, these students are not moulded by their parents who demand they become engineers or doctors. That kind of thinking seems to have gone out the window.
These students are truly free.
The generations before had a lot of shackles in terms of expectations. They spent their adulthoods breaking those shackles and defining their paths. But as they themselves become parents; they’ve adopted a much more laissez-faire approach. Their relationship with their children is of a consultative nature - more, ‘tell me what you want to do’ rather than, ‘this is what I want you to do.’
Today’s student is part of a ‘Me Generation’ that says, “look at me, I am unique.” In this thinking, they captivate their audience by navigating and harnessing the plethora of social media tools at their disposal to amplify their voice and express how they feel. They are reinforced by outspoken, free-thinking role models like Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai who are setting global examples.
By listening to the voices of 10,000 Indian students we can see that their perspectives are their very own. We now need to be their champions, personalise our approach to them, and serve as voices for them, too.
Borders aren’t boundaries. Discuss internationalisation with our experts.
