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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social engagement among <strong>the</strong> stake holders as well as among <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>in</strong>cipal actors <strong>in</strong> higher<br />
<strong>education</strong> sector.<br />
6.2.2 The Organization for Economic Cooperation <strong>and</strong> Development (OECD)<br />
The transformation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Organization for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC) resulted<br />
<strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> establishment <strong>of</strong> OECD <strong>in</strong> 1961. OECD is a multi-function IGO ma<strong>in</strong>ly represented by<br />
high <strong>in</strong>come European <strong>countries</strong>. It is nei<strong>the</strong>r supra-national forc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> coerc<strong>in</strong>g body nor a<br />
political agency but it is an <strong>in</strong>tellectual hub <strong>and</strong> a pool <strong>of</strong> th<strong>in</strong>k tanks. OECD‟s purpose is to<br />
provide a forum for its member governments <strong>and</strong> partners to study <strong>and</strong> formulate <strong>the</strong> best<br />
policies for promot<strong>in</strong>g economic <strong>and</strong> social development. To achieve <strong>the</strong>se objectives OECD<br />
supports <strong>and</strong> facilitates shar<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> experiences <strong>and</strong> ideas, supports policy reforms, monitors <strong>and</strong><br />
forecast economic trends, collects, analyzes <strong>and</strong> dissem<strong>in</strong>ates data <strong>and</strong> statistics, conducts peer<br />
reviews studies <strong>of</strong> member state performance, provides technical assistance through expertise,<br />
promotes <strong>in</strong>novative ideas <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> philosophy <strong>of</strong> th<strong>in</strong>k global, act local.<br />
OECD is not purely an <strong>education</strong>al organization but it works on <strong>education</strong> to br<strong>in</strong>g economic<br />
development through its Directorate for Education. The directorate is achiev<strong>in</strong>g its goals <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>education</strong> through four major programs: PISA, IMHE, CELE <strong>and</strong> CERI. Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore it is also<br />
work<strong>in</strong>g on many projects with <strong>the</strong> collaboration <strong>and</strong> cooperation <strong>of</strong> 116 IGOs <strong>in</strong> 35 member <strong>and</strong><br />
more than 100 non-member states. Policy reforms <strong>and</strong> capacity development <strong>in</strong> higher <strong>education</strong><br />
sector are becom<strong>in</strong>g major focus <strong>of</strong> OECD. The directorate for <strong>education</strong> has been contribut<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> higher <strong>education</strong> through six major <strong>in</strong>itiatives: <strong>the</strong>matic review <strong>of</strong> tertiary<br />
<strong>education</strong>; <strong>the</strong> Guidel<strong>in</strong>es for Quality Provision <strong>in</strong> Cross-border <strong>Higher</strong> Education; <strong>the</strong>matic<br />
Review on Adult learn<strong>in</strong>g; AHELO-Assessment <strong>of</strong> <strong>Higher</strong> Education Learn<strong>in</strong>g Outcomes;<br />
quality teach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> higher <strong>education</strong>; <strong>the</strong> OECD Global Forums: Education.<br />
Asia has <strong>in</strong>significant representation <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> OECD when seen on full-member table; only 0.7% <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>Asian</strong> population is represented by <strong>the</strong> four full-members from Asia. Likewise OECD<br />
projects on <strong>education</strong> cover only very small part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Asian</strong> population. Dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> last<br />
decades, on <strong>Asian</strong> partner economies, OECD‟s Directorate for Education has produced only 123<br />
reviews <strong>and</strong> surveys, 25 reports <strong>and</strong> 50 publications. But 80% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> documents produced were<br />
on four <strong>Asian</strong> member economies while only 20% were on <strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g seventeen OECD