Earlier this year, Austrade led its first ever edtech delegation to India. Representing OES was our Director, International, Brendan Hunt, who went along to explore the country’s rapidly growing online education market and hear from industry leaders on the ground.
At OES, our biggest priority is harnessing the power of technology to make education more accessible and impactful for students the world over.
That’s why India is such an exciting market for us to explore.
It’s a market at an interesting inflection point. In 2020, the country’s National Education Policy (NEP) was set out, outlining India’s vision to modernise its education system. The NEP has set a goal of almost doubling India’s higher education gross tertiary enrolment rate from 26.3 per cent in 2018 to 50 per cent by 2035.
The Australian higher-ed sector is well-placed to support this vision. OES is already on the journey through our investment in LINC Education Services and their education enabling business, The WorldGrad, which offers hybrid study abroad programs to Indian students.
But there is more work to do, particularly through the power of technology – Austrade officials estimate India’s edtech and training market is set to grow from A$1 billion in 2021 to around A$45 billion in 2030.
This is why Austrade led a 10-day trip to India to delve into partnership possibilities.
I headed over with two main objectives:
- First, to gather more intel on the product market fit for an online program model OES is working on behind the scenes to increase pathways for students to Australian universities. It’s a new model not yet seen in India, and we need to ensure that students, families, and study abroad agents are ready and comfortable and fully appreciate the value it offers.
- Second, to build a view to what else is happening in this rapidly changing market. What other opportunities might we find that we can explore to improve education quality and accessibility?
I met with over 30 Indian founders, business leaders and senior University leaders and heard first-hand what they think the best pathways for increasing access to education are.
A particular highlight was participating in the India Digital Summit where I spoke on a panel highlighting the challenges and opportunities in digital education, bringing an Australian lens to the discussion.
Our priority from here will be deepening our connections in the region – exploring partnership opportunities and learning more about what makes the higher ed sector in India unique with support from Austrade.
“The EdTech Trade Mission 2024 has laid a solid foundation for future collaboration between innovators in both countries,” says Austrade Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner South Asia, Dr Monica Kennedy.
With its robust experience in delivering world-class online education, Austrade is excited to support OES in unlocking new opportunities for Indian students.”
Get in touch:
Brendan Hunt
Director- International at OES
M: +61 431 166 545 | E: bhunt@oes.edu.au
