Higher education in Asian countries and the role of international ...

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was adopted by WCHE in 1998, to see its effect on higher education and to set future actions in
response to 21 st century challenges.
During WCHE +5 meeting a number of major initiatives and developments at the world level
were indentified, which had positive impact on the higher education. The participants of this
meeting stressed on the member states and partners in higher education to align their action
according to World Declaration on Higher Education.
World Conference on Higher Education 2009
In 2009 UNESCO again set that stage for higher education by organizing second World
Conference on Higher Education (WCHE+10). In this conference 1400 stakeholders from 150
countries and territories participated. The principal objectives of this event were to appraise and
scale the changes and transformation in higher education since WCHE in 1998, to deal with the
new dynamics that shape higher education and to identify lines to build inclusive, equitable and
sustainable societies through higher education. This first biggest event of 21 st century for higher
education offered global community an opportunity to show their commitment to develop higher
education and use higher education as a driver of development. The participants of the
conference adopted a Communiqué that provides a guideline to all stakeholders for renewed
actions, reforms and new role of higher education. (Annex- The Communiqué)
5.1.2.11.2 UNESCO initiatives and outcomes in Asia Pacific region
UNESCO showed its presence in Asia and the Pacific region soon after its birth and since then it
has been assisting member countries in capacity building at different levels. In the field of
education it has mandated UNESCO-Bangkok office, which is playing its active role for the
development of education at all levels in order to bring a socio-economic uplift betterment
particularly in less and least developed countries of the region. Like the world economy, Asian
economy also is shifting very rapidly towards information and knowledge based economy where
higher education has a pervasive role to play and the UNESCO is well aware of these global
changes and transitions. So this organization has been playing its active role in the field of higher
education for the last many decades but since the end of the twentieth century UNESCO along
with its partner organization is very active in the development of higher education so that
member state could face the new challenges of the twenty first century. In this regard UNESCO