The UK¡¯s vote for Brexit and Donald Trump¡¯s presidency in the US are already helping to ease the graduate brain drain in Asia¡¯s emerging economies, according to university leaders.

Speaking to Times Higher Education at its Asia Universities Summit, Raj Kumar, vice-chancellor of O.?P. Jindal Global University in Delhi, said that his institution had already seen a trend in bright Indian students opting to stay at home who might otherwise have gone abroad for their studies.

¡°Clearly Brexit and unfavourable immigration visa policies will create disincentives for students considering higher education overseas,¡± he said. ¡°They will look to other countries and societies for institutions that can provide a more congenial environment for them to pursue [their studies] fastidiously.

¡°This is good news for us ¨C students who would have gone abroad for their studies are already staying back in India and joining us.¡±

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Even top students who are still determined to travel are choosing to take up their studies in other ¡°globally facing¡± Indian cities such as Delhi, rather than seeking visas and going abroad, Professor Kumar said.

In a panel discussion at the THE summit on how research universities seek to ¡°break boundaries¡± in the modern world, vice-chancellors from Australia, Hong Kong and Israel as well as India were asked how ¡°three devils¡± ¨C Brexit, Trump and Global University rankings ¨C had created challenges or opportunities for their home institutions.

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Paul Tam, acting president and vice-chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, said that influencers the world over ¡°simply have to live with devils¡±. In fact, he added, barriers to immigration and international relations can even act as a ¡°stimulant¡± to advances.

¡°So Brexit and Trump, for us particularly, the Asian universities, there¡¯s a certain degree of¡­not quite satisfaction, but I would say we look at it with a wry smile,¡± he said.

In terms of securing higher numbers of international students, he added: ¡°This is an opportunity for universities in those countries that are not as inward-looking...I will take advantage of this and reach out because now we can be proactive and engage with this debate.¡±

rachael.pells@timeshighereducation.com