Can an Information Technology University degree be the road to achieving the American Dream?

Dr.Tausif Malik

Last year, I launched RiseBack, an ed-tech platform that connects the global student fraternity with Indian universities.

The Indian universities on the RiseBack platform offers undergraduate and master’s degrees in Business & IT and both of them have courses in IT – such as digital marketing, blockchain, artificial intelligence et al.

The reason for focusing on IT education as it is one of the highest-paying jobs and this can help reduce gaps in education and increase the income of fellow Americans.

According to USNews.com IT Managers made a median salary of $151,150 in 2020. The best-paid 25 percent made $191,470 that year, while the lowest-paid 25 percent made $116,990.

IT education can also encourage Americans to create more startups, develop new technology and reduce the shortage of professionals which hampers the growth of companies. Also, companies if they hire local talent can help in boosting the economy.

Here, American students and professionals can study undergraduate and masters entire programs from the comfort of their homes for approximately $2500.00 or $75 per month which is 15 times cheaper than studying at a domestic university this doesn’t include lodging & boarding and a sabbatical from work. These degrees are accredited by UGC ( University Grants Commission of India) and are globally recognized. And, thanks to global alumni of Indian universities who are heading global corporations and institutions which gave Indian education a gold standard for success.

Why I launched RiseBack, there is a backstory to this….

For over a century America has been leading the world in Technology, whether its the hardware or software technologies.

This drive for innovation steems out of the American people to achieve the American Dream, which has been a cornerstone for the emergence of America as a Superpower.

But during the last decades, the cost of education has been eroding this American Dream, as many get trapped in the student crisis. In the eighties, IT became a driving force starting for Silicon Valley and driving this across America. The Bush-era encourage corporates for globalization and resulted in outsourcing of manufacturing to southeast Asian countries and software development to India.

India became the back office for software development for the world and China the manufacturing hub.

When I immigrated to America I had two Masters’ degrees and this helped me enroll in my Doctorate Program. I had no student debt, so I had no debts to pay, and this gave me the freedom to explore my career in the US. I traveled across America and found the majority of Americans shy away from enrolling in the University as the costs were very high and the return on investment on this couldn’t be recouped unless and until they studied at an IVY league university or technology program.

I observed that immigrants were far more successful as they had no student debt or little student debt when compared with fellow Americans.

The IT industry was still outsourcing to India and other countries or hiring people from abroad.

During my travel, I had met a lot of Americans and they always asked me whether I was a medical doctor or a software engineer, I responded to them negatively as I was neither a doctor nor a software engineer. I also met very talented people but they faced the hurdle of lack of University education to break into the career league.

Due to my upbringing, I was taught to help others to achieve success, I made a prayer and asked how can I help my fellow Americans achieve their dreams. I hit upon a eureka moment, why not use my connections in the software industry in India to help train people in technology via Skype (From 2012 Skype App was the only free video call app). I wanted to name the project ‘RiseBack’ from the native American saying “Rise back like Phoenix). I worked on this project day and night but fate had other things written for me. I was hit with two personal calamities my mother went through a major spinal cord surgery and I lost my dad to a heart attack, I decided to move with my mom back to India for her treatment. Then I realized there are two things that hold back fellow Americans one is the high cost of education, and the other is healthcare.

I came back to India with my mom, but I never forgot my RiseBack project, the COVID -19 pandemic hit, and online became everything meetings, shopping, ordering food, telemedicine, and online education.

The pandemic gave me the motivation to do something for both America & India, I approached Indian universities so that their undergraduate and masters programs can be offered to American students and professionals through RiseBack.org and the benefits it has on both countries.

This also helps India to become a global hub for education. Americans get an affordable education, which helps in boosting the economy, & companies get local talent. A win-win situation for everyone.