Mumbai: The year 2023 has been a year of resurgence for the education sector. Our Indian students firmly shrugged off the challenges of the pandemic and returned to a familiar learning environment. However, one key difference from before is that students are now much more open and conversant with learning technologies than before. Additionally, they are able to identify the ideal use of technology as both physical and digital options are now available to them. As a leading provider of overseas study programs, the year was pivotal for The WorldGrad. Demand for international education surged to record levels, which had been bottled up for two years. In addition, Indian students moved overseas in large numbers, with an estimated 750,000 aspirants starting studies abroad in 2022-23. Many countries like Australia, the US, Canada, Germany, and the UK saw more Indian students joining their classrooms than China. At the same time, India has started attracting interest from numerous overseas providers to forge partnerships or open campuses, bringing quality education to student’s doorstep. All these developments have made the international education sector one of the most exciting segments since the downturn of ed-tech companies, which boomed during the pandemic.
The WorldGrad is at the forefront of innovative study abroad programs, bridging the gap between studying in India versus overseas. Our Smart Programs allow students to start their overseas degree from India and move abroad in 6-12 months when they are financially and academically ready to relocate. Our internationally accredited programs bring academic flexibility and help students overcome financial hurdles associated with studying overseas. Our programs are recognized for credit by overseas universities and equivalent to the first year of studies in Australia, the UK, and the US. We offer a robust portfolio of business and technology-related programs that lead to over 400 degrees at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This alternative route to study has seen greater adoption in 2023 as aspirations continue to soar, but costs remain a concern for most families. Enrolments in our programs have grown by 300% since 2022, which reflects market sentiments and an increased appreciation among students to try other means of fulfilling their study goals. In 2023, we doubled our university partnerships and brought it close to 50, adding prestigious names like Drexel University, La Trobe University, State University of New York, and others.
This year, we also hit some major milestones in terms of student outcomes and success. Throughout 2021 and part of 2022, many of our students could not travel overseas due to restrictions. This completely changed in 2023, and we saw record progressions to overseas universities through our programs. Due to their strong academic foundation, many of our students received distinctions and commendations in their overseas programs. Of particular note is our strong alumni base studying at the University of Wollongong College, where our students have become valedictorians for two years running. Seeing the success of our students overseas reassures us of our purpose, motivates our academic and non-academic staff, and is a testimonial for our current students to the benefits of starting their studies in India and then progressing overseas with sufficient experience under their belts.
Looking ahead to 2024, The WorldGrad keenly awaits future cohorts of students joining us and moving overseas and seeing existing students transition into successful professionals. From an operational standpoint, we plan to integrate more technology and AI in all our processes, including student counseling, teaching, and progression-related matters, to scale up and improve the learning experience for our students. We are also working on an expanding portfolio that will include more employability-oriented programs for our students, the exact nature of which will be shared with the public shortly. That said, we expect our business to double next year in topline with a disproportionate growth in the bottom line.
The author of this article is The WorldGrad founder Abhinav Mital.
