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

7.4 A shift in IGOs’ stance
257
A shift in the IGOs‟ approach towards higher education is more prominent since the last decade:
higher education role in economic development is being accepted globally and an enhanced
engagement of world organizations and governments is evident in low income and high income
countries but the level and intensity is different (Bloom, Canning, & Chan, 2006).
The World Bank Group supports, promotes and propagates the neo-liberal globalization in
economics and education as well this is resulting in an enhanced role of market and
organizations in education particularly higher education (Jakobi, 2007). The World Bank
commissioned and published a series of research studies to explore the link between higher
education and development. The World Bank report Knowledge and Development that was
published in 1999, presented studied the relation of knowledge and income in the developing
countries. This report found that knowledge, not capital, is the key to human well being and
economic growth. It stressed upon need of extension and expansion of teacher training through
distant and open universities by using ICTs in the developing countries (The World Bank, 1999).
To explore the future of higher education in the developing countries, the World Bank and
UNESCO, convened a Task Force on Higher Education and society that gave its report in March
2000, titled Higher Education and Developing Countries: Peril and Promise. This report found
that higher education is essential as it contributes to socio-economic development of the
developing countries in this era of knowledge based economy. In most developing countries
higher education exhibits severe deficiencies: the problem of insufficient scientific capacity is
acute; traditional ways of running higher education systems; and inadequate resources, both
physical and human.
According to this report, despite of unprecedented progress in higher education the developing
countries are falling further behind industrial countries in terms of their science and technology
capacities and achievements because of inadequate attention. There is a need of policy reforms to
protect and promote the public interest in higher education and as well as a strong international
sustained intellectual and financial support for strengthening the scientific capacity. The Task
Force stressed upon effective efforts from higher education institutions, policy makers and
international donors (The World Bank, 2000). Policymakers in education are responsible for
developing a vision and strategy for educational development, and mobilizing support and