Global careers don’t always begin overseas. Sometimes, they begin closer to home.
For generations, the aspiration of studying abroad has been closely tied to a simple promise: better career opportunities. An international degree was seen as the gateway to global employment, with work experience expected to follow in the country of study.
That equation is changing.
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Today’s employers are looking beyond geography. They value graduates who can navigate diverse cultures, solve complex challenges, collaborate across borders and adapt quickly to changing workplaces. These capabilities can be developed in London, Chennai, Bengaluru or Singapore. What matters is not where the experience takes place, but the global context in which students learn and contribute.
This shift comes at an important moment for India.
With the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the country has articulated an ambitious vision for higher education—one that encourages internationalisation, multidisciplinary learning, stronger industry engagement and improved employability. The policy recognises that graduates must be equipped not only with academic knowledge but also with practical skills, global exposure and the confidence to succeed in an interconnected economy.
Universities around the world now have an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to this vision.
Rethinking international employability
For many students, the idea of a global internship has traditionally meant travelling farther from home. While these experiences remain valuable, they are not always accessible. Financial considerations, visa timelines, family commitments and changing economic realities often influence the choices students make.
But what if international experience did not always require greater distance?
Increasingly, universities are exploring models that enable students to gain global industry exposure through internships in internationally connected economies that are closer to home. For students from South Asia, this can mean working with organisations in India that operate within global value chains, collaborate with multinational businesses and address challenges with worldwide relevance.
Students continue to develop intercultural competence, professional confidence and international networks. They simply do so within a different geography.
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India has become a global workplace
India’s economic transformation has fundamentally reshaped the global employment landscape.
The country is no longer viewed solely as a source of talent. It has become one of the world’s most significant destinations for innovation, research, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, healthcare, sustainability and entrepreneurship.
Perhaps nowhere is this transformation more evident than in India’s rapidly expanding Global Capability Centre (GCC) ecosystem.
More than 1,800 GCCs now operate across India, employing millions of highly skilled professionals in areas ranging from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to financial services, engineering design and healthcare innovation. Rather than serving only as operational support centres, today’s GCCs are increasingly leading global product development, research, analytics and strategic decision-making.
For students, this creates an entirely new proposition.
A placement in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad or Pune can provide exposure to multinational projects, cross-border collaboration and international business challenges comparable to experiences traditionally associated with studying abroad.
Global careers are increasingly being built within India itself.
International partnerships that create mutual value
The growing relationship between the UK and India reflects this changing landscape.
Education has become one of the strongest pillars of the UK–India partnership, with universities collaborating on research, innovation, student mobility and skills development. As both countries deepen cooperation across technology, healthcare, climate innovation and entrepreneurship, higher education institutions have an opportunity to become active partners in developing globally capable talent.
This collaboration should extend beyond academic exchange.
It should connect students directly with employers, innovation ecosystems and emerging industries where they can apply their learning in real-world settings.
This is where universities can make the greatest contribution—not only by awarding degrees but by creating pathways into meaningful careers.
Listening to students
The strongest evidence often comes from students themselves.
Several University of East London students who recently completed internships in India described how the experience allowed them to combine international learning with meaningful professional exposure while remaining closer to family and familiar cultural surroundings.
One student spoke about choosing an internship in Chennai because it enabled her to gain practical experience in an internationally connected organisation while maintaining a strong support network. Another reflected on working alongside professionals from diverse backgrounds and discovering how innovation is driven by collaboration across cultures rather than by geography alone.
Their experiences reinforce an important lesson.
International employability is not measured by the number of air miles travelled. It is measured by the skills developed, the problems solved, and the perspectives gained.
Building career ecosystems, not just internships
The future of employability lies in sustained partnerships between universities, industry and government.
Rather than viewing internships as isolated opportunities, institutions should focus on creating career ecosystems where academic learning, industry engagement, research and entrepreneurship reinforce one another throughout a student’s journey.
At the University of East London, this philosophy underpins our approach to employability. Through our Careers Guarantee, industry partnerships and the establishment of the South Asia Careers Hub in Chennai, we are strengthening connections between students and employers across the UK and South Asia. The objective is simple: to ensure students graduate with not only a globally recognised qualification but also the professional experience, networks and confidence needed to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
A new measure of international education
Parents considering overseas education often ask a practical question: Will this help my child build a successful career?
It is the right question.
The answer today depends less on where students study and more on how effectively universities connect learning with opportunity.
As NEP 2020 encourages stronger international collaboration and industry engagement, there is tremendous scope for universities and employers to work together in creating new models of global employability. By combining international education with high-quality work experience in India’s innovation ecosystem, students can develop the skills demanded by employers while contributing to one of the world’s fastest-growing knowledge economies.
Global careers will continue to cross borders.
But the pathways to those careers are becoming more diverse.
Sometimes they begin in London.
Increasingly, they begin in India.
And for many students, the most meaningful global opportunity may be the one they find closer to home.
(The author is Satya Priya, Marketing Manager, South Asia Careers Hub, Chennai, UEL India. Reach out to her at S.Priya-A@uel.ac.uk.)
