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

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return provided strong theoretical and empirical support and evidence to advocate higher
education resources cut-back-management policies at state and organizational levels. These
policies led to resource starvation of higher education institutions. Such structural adjustment
programs, in most of the countries, shifted the focus of attention from higher to primary
education and this shift in policy substantially affected the capacity, availability and quality of
higher education and research (Sanyal & Varghese, 2006).
But in the later years the scenario started changing rapidly in the favor of higher education
because of factors: increase in the literacy and basic education rate, enhanced GER at secondary
level, industrial growth, technological development and dawning of digital age. The OECD-UIS
cross national analysis of the world indicators shows that education has a significant positive
impact on the earnings: with each additional level of education income increases in most
countries. This study also found that rate of returns, both for men and women, in terms of
individual earning are higher for tertiary education as compared to primary and secondary
education in all parts of the world. According to this study tertiary education as compared to
upper secondary education has higher positive impact on the men‟s earnings that ranges from
82% in Indonesia to approximately 300% in Paraguay whereas for women these values range
from 55% in Indonesia to 179% in Brazil. In Asia the variation in earning is low with the
increase of level of education for both genders. (OECD-UIS, 2002)
OECD, UNESCO and the World Bank are performing diverse and overlapping activities to
promote and develop higher education. These organizations are assisting countries in educational
policy reforms and formation; in consensus building among the stakeholders; in providing
assistance for capacity development, and in supporting quality initiatives and guidelines for cross
border higher education. IGOs‟ objectives and level of engagement in common actions point
towards uniformity in their goals and convergence in their attitude as a result these international
bodies are influencing international systems (Jacobson 1984). The countries or sub-regions , that
are performing well also need co-operative support from IGOs in furthering their objectives in
the development their higher education sector so that they could maintain their place and position
by achieving excellence in at all levels. As there exists diversity in socio-political structure,
culture, education systems and administrative pattern in all countries so IGOs need to adopt
diversified and decentralized policies.