Author Description

Education for a Globalizing Asia: Challenges and Opportunities is a collection of papers and commentaries on the varying effects of globalization on education systems in Asia. It focuses on institutional, curricular and procedural changes that these education systems underwent to promote global competitiveness. Western models of education reform, observes the book, provide impetus for these changes, modification that revolve around strategies meant to enhance instruction, research and education governance. While gains from these changes are apparent, this collection also highlights difficulties that Asian educational institutions continue to confront as they seek better policies and processes and vie for higher rankings. The strong and almost exclusive emphasis on North American and Western European rubrics of excellence, the lack of inclusivity, and the growing corporatization of schools are some of the most notable unintended consequences of internalization that merit further study. Warranting attention as well is the absence of alternative paradigms that acknowledge cultural, economic and political diversity, and plurality of perspectives on internalization. It is hoped that a more nuanced understanding of Asian experiences reform can be obtained through this book.