Bhubaneswar, January 9: Odisha is steadily emerging as a preferred hub for foreign students pursuing higher education. Reflecting this trend, KIIT is the country's 5th best university in attracting foreign students. According to a recently published NITI Aayog report, Odisha figures among the top 10 states in India in terms of attracting international students. Odisha is placed better than neighbouring states like West Bengal, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Also, Bhubaneswar city has emerged better than Kolkata and Hyderabad.
As envisaged under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, internationalisation of higher education has been accorded top priority. Although KIIT is located in the State of Odisha, specifically in the Tier-II city of Bhubaneswar, it presently hosts over 2,000 international students from 70 countries—out of a total of 2,362 foreign students enrolled across various universities in eastern India—along with a strong global alumni base of more than 5,000 international students.
KIIT’s flagship IndiaTrek initiative hosted an impressive 350-member delegation in 2025
KIIT has been able to attract nearly 350 international visiting faculty members and PhD scholars from leading global institutions such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Washington, and City University of New York (CUNY), The University of Tulsa, University of Virginia, Seattle University, etc., during the current academic session. These scholars visited the University, interacted with students, and spent 10–15 days on campus, besides visiting places of tourism importance. IndiaTrek is a flagship initiative of KIIT, conceived as a cultural-academic immersion platform that brings together international delegates, diplomats, scholars, and youth leaders to experience India’s educational ecosystem, cultural heritage, and social development models.
KIIT Attracts Over 1,000 Foreign Delegates Annually; Nobel Laureates Continue to Visit Campus
KIIT attracts over 1,000 foreign delegates annually. It is worth mentioning that more than 3,50,000 delegates from across the country have visited KIIT & KISS to grace various events. So also, many Indian delegates visit KIIT; out of them 50 percent are coming to KIIT to participate in multiple sports events.
The institution has hosted about 25 Nobel Laureate lectures. These achievements have been made possible due to the blessings of the Almighty, as well as the goodwill, national and international rankings, and accolades received by KIIT & KISS, the world-class infrastructure including sports facilities, and the profound societal impact of Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Founder of both institutions. KIIT has facilitated extensive international academic exchange by hosting faculty members and enabling the exchange of students from across the world. These engagements are held through Global Faculty Programmes, the Global Immersion Programme, and the Credit-Based Study Abroad Programme.
