REGISTRATION CLOSED

The rapid development of regionalism has expanded not only beyond the issues of economic development and security of the region but has also progressed into regional integration of higher education. Regional blocs such as the European Union (EU), North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) have devoted meaningful efforts to promote and sustain integration of higher education among member countries within the region. These integration efforts include standardising the qualifications, promoting higher education with regional identity,

encouraging cooperation and collaboration among institutions in the region as well as providing the platform towards harmonising higher education. Interestingly, the harmonisation of higher education in the developing world context is dominated by the European model.

Similarly, universities and institutions of higher learning have also progressed into building networks through formalised groupings and alliances. The Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning, the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Association of African Universities, the European University Association and the International Association of Universities are among the notable alliances of institutions that collaborated to further advance higher education.

In view of the many similar initiatives by different regions and groups to promote the development of higher education through a common platform (which is increasingly biased towards European/American models), the deliberation on the practicality and appropriateness of Asian, Latin American and African countries following the same pathway is timely. The current global economic meltdown presents another interesting backdrop and context to analyse and deliberate on the suitability of European/American models for expanding and emerging higher education systems in Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Within the landscape of the current global economic meltdown, there is a critical need to analyse in some depth global higher education as a whole. Without a doubt, the economic crisis has affected global higher education in more ways than one. Therefore, it is important to deliberate on the future trajectory of global higher education, which has been severely altered by current global events. Arguably, we need to understand the repercussions on global higher education as a result of current developments in order to prepare ourselves for the challenges ahead. Interestingly, different higher education systems and/or institutions have responded differently to the global economic problems, and this will chart the future of higher education in different systems. Looking further ahead, it is important also to deliberate on global higher education futures in the context of emerging scenarios.

The downturn in the economy has affected higher education systems and universities everywhere indefinitely. Financially, it has lessened activity in the market which in turn lessened the income for governments all around. This has forced governments to restrict their spending, even on higher education. Naturally, this will have a significant impact on the future growth of global higher education; at least for the time being until the economic crisis subsides. It is important to understand the current state of the global economy for the obvious reason that it will affect the future state. In a way, it will chart the path higher education institutions will take. We cannot deny that as much as higher education is solely focussing on education, the economic side of it still does play a crucial role in determining how it will progress forward and sustain its development.

As much as we understand the current situation and how it will significantly affect the future of higher education, we need to start identifying steps to help cushion the impact of the ongoing economic crisis. This is particularly important in the context of higher education scenarios in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Certain events may be inevitable, but we must initiate an action plan that will be able to cushion these falls.

In the final analysis, therefore, we need to comprehend global issues which would ultimately affect higher education as both a public and private good in the 21st century. Herein lies the future of higher education in established, expanding and emerging higher education systems.