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