Impact of public versus private financing on research productivity and internationalization in Indian higher education

Abstract

This study presents a novel, data-driven analysis of how institutional financing structures and international research funding influence research productivity and internationalization of higher education (IHE) in India. Using panel data from 92 top-ranked universities (2019–2025) and integrating field-normalized bibliometric indicators from Elsevier’s SciVal, we apply pooled OLS regression models with university-clustered standard errors to test the differential effects of university type, funding source and institutional category. Contrary to prevailing assumptions, public-private distinctions do not significantly predict research outcomes. However, international funding emerges as a strong and consistent driver of both productivity and internationalization, underscoring its critical role in advancing India’s global research competitiveness. A marginal moderation effect by institutional category indicates that State Private Universities may gain disproportionately from global funding opportunities. The originality of this study lies in the empirical separation of institutional type from funding composition, establishing the performance-enhancing role of international grants and providing a structurally simplified foundation. Findings support the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and University Grant Commission (UGC)’s internationalization goals while highlighting the need for differentiated capacity-building, compliance reform and incentive realignment. By bridging bibliometric analysis with policy relevance, this study contributes actionable insights to elevate Indian higher education on the global stage.