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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The World Bank<br />
266<br />
The World Bank is a lead<strong>in</strong>g source <strong>of</strong> funds for higher <strong>education</strong> <strong>in</strong> Asia. For <strong>the</strong> last two<br />
decades it has become a prom<strong>in</strong>ent actor <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> field <strong>of</strong> higher <strong>education</strong> <strong>and</strong> it is implement<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>and</strong> support<strong>in</strong>g hundreds <strong>of</strong> projects at national <strong>and</strong> sub-regional, <strong>and</strong> regional levels <strong>in</strong> Asia.<br />
These projects <strong>in</strong> higher <strong>education</strong> are <strong>of</strong> wide variety <strong>and</strong> scope that <strong>in</strong>clude: capacity<br />
development, technical assistance, quality development <strong>and</strong> assurance, <strong>in</strong>formation shar<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
<strong>in</strong>ternationalization <strong>and</strong> cross border <strong>education</strong>, research cooperation <strong>and</strong> collaboration, outcome<br />
assessment <strong>and</strong> f<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g higher <strong>education</strong> sub-sector.<br />
The Bank has been <strong>in</strong>vest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> higher <strong>education</strong> <strong>in</strong> Asia for many decades <strong>and</strong>, as compared to<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r regions, it has made <strong>the</strong> largest <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> <strong>Asian</strong> higher <strong>education</strong> <strong>in</strong> more than 125<br />
projects. But <strong>the</strong> share <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bank‟s fund<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> majority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>countries</strong>, is less than five<br />
percent <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> total budget that is allocated by <strong>the</strong> government to <strong>education</strong> sector <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />
higher <strong>education</strong> sector. So it is evident that <strong>the</strong> present development <strong>and</strong> growth <strong>in</strong> higher<br />
<strong>education</strong> <strong>in</strong> this region cannot solely be attributed <strong>the</strong> Bank‟s <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> this sub-sector. It is<br />
very difficult to see <strong>the</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> any s<strong>in</strong>gle program <strong>of</strong> an IGO <strong>in</strong> isolation or separately <strong>in</strong> a<br />
country or region. At <strong>the</strong> same time we should not ignore <strong>the</strong> Bank‟s <strong>role</strong> as “source <strong>of</strong> change”<br />
through <strong>in</strong>duc<strong>in</strong>g peer pressure, boost<strong>in</strong>g competition among states <strong>and</strong> encourag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>education</strong> for development.<br />
OECD<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. OECD acts as a forum for its member governments <strong>and</strong> partners to study <strong>and</strong><br />
formulate <strong>the</strong> best policies for promot<strong>in</strong>g economic <strong>and</strong> social development. OECD is<br />
contribut<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> higher <strong>education</strong> <strong>in</strong> many ways; it supports <strong>and</strong> facilitates shar<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong><br />
experiences <strong>and</strong> ideas, supports policy reforms, monitors <strong>and</strong> forecast economic trends, collects,<br />
analyzes <strong>and</strong> dissem<strong>in</strong>ates data <strong>and</strong> statistics, conducts peer reviews studies <strong>of</strong> member state<br />
performance, provides technical assistance through expertise, promotes <strong>in</strong>novative ideas.<br />
OECD has launched six major <strong>in</strong>itiatives to that directly <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>directly contribute to <strong>the</strong><br />
development <strong>of</strong> higher <strong>education</strong> <strong>in</strong> its member states. These <strong>in</strong>itiatives are: <strong>the</strong>matic review <strong>of</strong><br />
tertiary <strong>education</strong>; <strong>the</strong> Guidel<strong>in</strong>es for Quality Provision <strong>in</strong> Cross-border <strong>Higher</strong> Education;<br />
<strong>the</strong>matic Review on Adult learn<strong>in</strong>g; AHELO-Assessment <strong>of</strong> <strong>Higher</strong> Education Learn<strong>in</strong>g