The economic liberalisation and growth of new sectors like the IT services industry during the 1990’s has created a new class of well-compensated white collar professionals. The Highflier children of these professionals are now getting ready for college and will become the main drivers of international mobility among Indian students, Choudaha says. The growth in the number of Highflier students from India will take a few years to fully impact overall enrolment patterns and it will not be as marked as the explosion of Explorer students from China, he says.

However, US institutions would be well placed to make the most of this emerging opportunity by adapting their internationalisation strategies to the unique characteristics, needs and decision-making processes of Indian Highflier students, he suggested.