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

Introduction
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The drastic and dramatic changes in the international scenario, during the last few decades, have
resulted into the enhanced role of Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs). These international
bodies have emerged as new actors and are rapidly becoming a prominent part of this novel
arrangement. Today IGOs are active in many fields and are visible at different forums that is
evident from the omnipresence of IGOs in media headlines, like; International coalition for
Afghan war, NATO airstrikes in Libya, International organizations‟ sanctions against Iran, UN
peace mission in Africa, the Greenpeace movement for environment protection, UNESCO
initiatives for literacy and education for all, International Sports Federations‟ activities in the
world, IMF policies on low income countries, the World Bank projects for poverty eradication,
G8 economic reforms and many more.
Education was given an important place on the IGOs‟ agenda in the post World War II period. In
the subsequent years education drew more and more attention of international stakeholders in all
parts of the world because of the universal elevated returns of education for individuals and
society. In today‟s world, the social returns of education are so valuable that educating a child is
no more sole responsibility of a family but of the entire society and even of the state also,
similarly educating a nation is no longer sole responsibility of a state but the whole international
community. Due to this reason at present we can see that international community is engaged in
the propagation and development of education at all levels in all parts of the world. To achieve
these goals international organization particularly intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) are
playing an active role. The active participation of multiple actors, at national and international
levels, and their multifaceted contributions in the field of education, particularly higher
education, have given IGOs the dynamic and changing roles to play. Today in the high and low
income countries, IGOs are contributing to higher education and research in different ways and
the nature and level of their role vary according to socio-economic development and culture of a
country.
Although the history of organizations is very old but the history of intergovernmental
organizations (IGOs) is comparatively quite recent. The foundations of very first
intergovernmental organization can be traced in the early19 th century when the first IGO, the