The Oxford Handbook of Higher Education in the Asia-Pacific Region

The Asia-Pacific Region is the fastest-growing continent in the world, and its share of the global GDP is projected to account for half by 2050. The quality of a country's higher education system is a gauge of its current level of national development and its future economic prospects. This handbook presents country case-studies and cross-cutting trends relating to access, cost, quality, teaching and research, labor markets, preferred fields of study, the rise of research universities, the lure of international reputation, new education technologies, and government policy.

Format: Hardback
Length: 976 pages
Publication date: 26 January 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Since the turn of the millennium, it has become evident that the Asia-Pacific Region is experiencing remarkable economic growth, making it the fastest-growing continent globally. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, experts anticipate that this trend will continue for an extended period. Between 1970 and 2017, Asia-Pacific's share of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) doubled, from 15% to 30%, and it is projected to account for half of global GDP by 2050. This significant growth is driven by the rapid expansion of South East and South Asia, which together house over half of the world's population and three of the world's five largest economies.

Asia is poised to become the home of half of the world's middle class, a group that is both the driver and the product of higher education. The quality of a country's higher education system serves as a valuable indicator of its current level of national development and its future economic prospects. Given the region's projected importance, there is growing interest in understanding the higher education systems within the Asia-Pacific Region.

While Asia-Pacific's higher education systems share certain common characteristics, such as a focus on credentials, engineering, high technology, and business degrees, they are also highly diverse. These systems exhibit variations across countries and within countries, reflecting their unique cultural, social, and economic contexts. A comprehensive understanding of higher education achievements, failures, potential, and structural limitations in the Asia-Pacific Region is crucial.

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the higher education landscape in the Asia-Pacific Region. It includes a series of significant country case studies that shed light on various aspects of higher education. These case studies cover topics such as the trilemma faced by governments balancing access, affordable cost, and quality; the balance between teaching and research; the relationship between labor markets and higher education; preferred fields of study and their consequences.

By examining these case studies, readers gain a deeper insight into the challenges and opportunities facing the Asia-Pacific higher education sector. The handbook also highlights cross-cutting trends that are shaping the region's higher education landscape. These trends include the increasing importance of internationalization, the rise of technology-enabled learning, the need for lifelong learning, and the role of higher education in addressing social and economic development challenges.

In conclusion, the Asia-Pacific Region is experiencing a period of rapid economic growth, and higher education plays a pivotal role in driving this development. The quality of a country's higher education system is a critical factor in determining its current and future economic prospects. This handbook provides a valuable resource for policymakers, educators, researchers, and stakeholders interested in understanding the higher education landscape in the Asia-Pacific Region. By examining the case studies and cross-cutting trends presented herein, readers can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector and contribute to its growth and development.

Weight: 1784g
Dimension: 183 x 255 x 63 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192845986