KIIT ranked 5th best university for foreign students
The institution has also hosted around 25 Nobel Laureate lectures over the years
Odisha is steadily emerging as a preferred destination for international students pursuing higher education in India. Reflecting this trend, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) has been ranked as the country’s fifth best university in attracting foreign students, according to a recently published report by NITI Aayog.
The report places Odisha among the top ten states in India in terms of international student enrolment, ahead of neighbouring states such as West Bengal, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Bhubaneswar has also emerged as a more preferred city for foreign students compared to Kolkata and Hyderabad.
Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which accords high priority to the internationalisation of higher education, KIIT—despite being located in a Tier-II city—has established a strong global footprint. The university currently hosts over 2,000 international students from 70 countries, accounting for a significant share of the 2,362 foreign students enrolled across universities in eastern India. KIIT also has a global alumni base of more than 5,000 international graduates.
During the current academic session, KIIT attracted nearly 350 international visiting faculty members and Ph.D. scholars from leading global institutions, including Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Washington, City University of New York (CUNY), University of Tulsa, University of Virginia, and Seattle University. These scholars engaged with students and faculty during stays of 10 to 15 days, alongside visits to prominent tourist destinations.
A major driver of KIIT’s international engagement has been its flagship IndiaTrek initiative, which hosted a 350-member international delegation in 2025. The programme is designed as a cultural-academic immersion platform, bringing together diplomats, scholars, youth leaders and global delegates to experience India’s educational ecosystem, cultural heritage and social development models.
KIIT attracts over 1,000 foreign delegates annually. In addition, more than 3.5 lakh delegates from across India have visited KIIT and KISS for various events, with nearly 50 per cent participation linked to sports activities.
The institution has also hosted around 25 Nobel Laureate lectures over the years. KIIT’s expanding international presence is supported by its global rankings, infrastructure—including world-class sports facilities—and sustained academic exchange through Global Faculty Programmes, Global Immersion Programmes, and Credit-Based Study Abroad initiatives.
