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

4 Asia and higher education
4.1 Introduction to Asia
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How many continents are there in the world? There is not a single answer for this simple
question because the idea of any particular number of continents on the face of the earth is not
based upon universal definition. By definition "Continents are understood to be large,
continuous, discrete masses of land, ideally separated by expanses of water" (Lewis & Wigen,
1997). As Asia and Europe are a single landmass, called Eurasia, so geologists and physical
geographers do not consider them two separate continents whereas political and demographic
geographers favor seven-continent model, by dividing Eurasia in to two continents, likewise by
considering North and South America as separate entities. This self designed partition gives
seven continents: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and
Australia (The Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009). Due to difference in outlooks, at present, there
are numerous models that are being followed in different parts of the world: the seven-continent
model is common in China and most English-speaking countries; the six-continent combined-
Eurasia model in Russia, central Asian republics (CARs), and Japan; the six-continent combined-
America model in Latin America, and in the most parts of Europe. Some geographers hold the
view of five continents by considering America (north and south) as a single entity and similarly
Europe and Asia together as Eurasia. If we take above definition for granted then there are four
continents in the world because we‟ll have to consider Africa, Asia and Europe one continent;
Afro-Eurasia while North America and South America a single unit; America. It is general
practice in the world, both at state and organizational level, that following any particular model
regarding the number of continents is generally identified by a convention rather than any strict
criteria or definition. In this study we follow UN five macro geographical (continental) regions
model: Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania (UN, 2010).
4.1.1 The name “Asia”
Asians had never used the word Asia for the gigantic land mass on which they had been living
for thousands of years. It was Europeans who called this area Asia in around 5 th century B.C.
The word Asia has its origin from the Greek word Ἀσία- Asia. King Herodotus (484BC – 425
BC) used the term Asia for Great Persian Empire. In the Roman Empire (27 BC- 476 AD.) there
was also a South-eastern province that carried the name the Asia, which was a part of region