"University Challenge": Exploring Aspirations and Experiences of Transnational Education Mobility Among Dalits

Transnational education mobility (TEM), referred to as the movement of students from their country of citizenship to nations abroad to pursue higher education, is a growing credential and commodity within globalised neoliberal societies. Global trends show rising participation in overseas education from Asia, with India as the second-largest sender and the UK as the top receiver of transnational students (OECD, 2023). This movement reflects an increasing desire among Indian youth to join the global middle class and use transnational higher education to improve labour market prospects (King and Sondhi, 2018). Forward-caste students are advantaged in India by their historical access to education, which may enable their opportunities to access and benefit from TEM. In comparison, Dalit students face caste inequalities at Indian educational institutions, affecting their experiences and aspirations even after graduating (Nivedita, 2024). Discrimination is especially evident for the small numbers of Dalit students who reach elite Indian universities, where now a focus on the internationalisation of education is also growing markedly given students in these universities are better placed to apply to overseas universities. Yet, to date, no previous research has investigated Dalit students' transnational aspirations and experiences, to assess the influence of caste in TEM trajectories and lived experiences at home and abroad. Addressing this gap, I ask: In what ways, if any, does caste affect Dalit students' transnational aspirations and experiences in the elite higher education space?



To examine these issues, I will adopt a qualitative, multi-site research design with an interpretive approach, using interviews as the primary data collection method to collect data in both Delhi, India and the UK. The study will contribute original findings and reflections to diverse literatures including TEM pathways among marginalised groups and the relevance of caste in UK higher education settings.