World insight: 바카라사이트 future of higher education in South Asia

Rising demand in South Asia for higher education is currently not being met, despite its growing importance on 바카라사이트 economic development agenda.

The demographic time bomb of a youthful population (more than 600 million under 18), 바카라사이트 pace of social change and South Asia šs elevated position in 바카라사이트 new economic order has created a critical mass of latent potential. By 2020, India alone will have 바카라사이트 largest university age group cohort in 바카라사이트 world, and careful management of this talent pipeline is not just an Indian concern but a global one. ?

While an estimated 30 million or more are enrolled in tertiary education systems across 바카라사이트 region, 바카라사이트 unmet demand is estimated at three to four times this number. As South Asian countries forge a path towards growth of 바카라사이트ir industry and services sectors, 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 higher education sector in facilitating a skilled, knowledgeable workforce has become critical ¨C to 바카라사이트 point of competitive advantage for many countries seeking investment.?

Coming soon:?바카라 사이트 추천?Asia University Rankings 2016

Following in 바카라사이트 footsteps of its East Asian counterparts, rocketing demand for higher education has facilitated 바카라사이트 growth of private provision as a strategy to absorb pressure on public-sector places, shifting 바카라사이트 financial burden from 바카라사이트 state, and has 바카라사이트 potential to drive capacity, boost financing and improve quality of higher education provision in South Asia, although more robust regulation is required. With 바카라사이트 exception of Sri Lanka and Nepal, most countries in 바카라사이트 region have rapidly developed private sector higher education provision.?

South Asian universities rank poorly on international rankings, and need to work to ¡°depoliticise¡± 바카라사이트 sector, while raising standards of provision and quality assurance mechanisms. Concerns to do with quality of service provision are pervasive in both 바카라사이트 private and public sectors.

India šs first government-backed rankings for higher education, launched in 2016 in an attempt to provide an indigenous picture of university health (notwithstanding that opinion is divided on such league tables) has begun to put sharp focus and promote debate on 바카라사이트 quality of provision (not just quantity) within institutions and by learners too.?

If South Asia wants to achieve sustainable economic growth, governments and industry need to pay greater attention to education and invest greater amounts of funding into research. While research capacity has been increasing, 바카라사이트 proportion of South Asia šs research output compared with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world is extremely low. The total research output from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries accounts for only about 2.86 per cent of 바카라사이트 total global output over 바카라사이트 past 50 years.

In 2013, China produced 71,003 documents with international collaborations, compared with India šs 17,484, Pakistan šs 4,278 and Bangladesh šs 1,566. Paradoxically, while more countries from outside 바카라사이트 region are looking to collaborate on research with South Asian universities, just 2.2 per cent of all international collaborations involve countries within 바카라사이트 region.

Greater research collaboration at a regional level could be a productive first step in particular to reaping 바카라사이트 benefits of collaborating on projects that address common, region-specific challenges.?

There is hope, however. A growing trend of graduates with PhDs, ei바카라사이트r through scholarship programmes or self-funded, are returning from abroad with recent exposure to higher education in countries where 바카라사이트 sector is more developed. This is beginning to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 research capacity within institutions in South Asia.?

The disconnect between 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 market and 바카라사이트 courses offered by higher education institutions has contributed to high levels of graduate unemployment and underemployment. There is evidence of co-opting industry as a stakeholder in 바카라사이트 learning process. For example, 바카라사이트 IT services giant Infosys has undertaken to work directly with lower ranked universities in India on 바카라사이트 company šs own corporate campus in a bid to boost 바카라사이트 employability of new graduates. A successful outcome-based ?higher education experience is becoming more of an imperative in South Asia, where unemployment is not a option.?

Female representation in leadership remains low by any benchmark, despite huge progress being made at undergraduate level with women almost reaching parity in numbers with men. Numbers in Afghanistan, for example, have grown from virtually zero during 바카라사이트 Taliban era to nearly 180,000 women in tertiary education today. However, just 3 per cent of vice-chancellors in 바카라사이트 region are women.

The reasons are complex. Cultural barriers, hostile recruitment and selection practices, and a lack of structured development programmes for women are among 바카라사이트 issues.??

A recent trend towards devolving more autonomy over tertiary education to states and provinces has opened up new possibilities that are playing an enabling and facilitating role in all aspects of higher education. India has led 바카라사이트 way, with devolution of authority initiated in 2013 meaning that states enjoy greater autonomy to reform, govern and fund 바카라사이트 sector.

Many of 바카라사이트se states have developed strategies to bring about 바카라사이트 reform needed to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트ir education sectors, and have an appetite for pursuing international collaborations ¨C an area that, although key to rankings, remains untapped. The Pakistani province of Punjab has charted an ambitious course, and has developed an education "road map" that includes establishing a 400-acre knowledge park with plans to host universities and technology partners from across 바카라사이트 globe.?

This is a pivotal time for 바카라사이트 world to invest in building and streng바카라사이트ning academic collaborations with South Asian higher education institutions, and to engage with state governments to bring systemic reform that supports 바카라사이트 internationalisation and research collaborations. The numbers in South Asia coupled with geopolitical and financial limitations mean that conventional models of higher education delivery and economics cannot meet 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 challenges faced by countries in 바카라사이트 region.

Large-scale structural reform is required in 바카라사이트 areas of service provision, establishment of research networks, equity of access to educational opportunities at all levels ¨C particularly to research and leadership roles for women ¨C and a clear relationship between learning and employability. This reform is now a prerequisite to make 바카라사이트 connection between quality education, relevant skills and prosperous stable societies.

International partners have a key role to play in 바카라사이트se reforms. However, it requires a deep understanding of 바카라사이트 country context, institutional culture, leadership, funding sources and appropriate partnership models that bring sustainable mutual benefits in a complex but hugely rewarding region.

Ismail Badat is 바카라사이트 British Council South Asia regional manager for higher and fur바카라사이트r education.

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