Sun sets on Western dominance as East Asian Confucian model takes lead

The US approach to higher education is no longer 바카라사이트 world leader as 바카라사이트 "Confucian model" has put East Asia's universities at 바카라사이트 cutting edge.

This was 바카라사이트 argument set out by Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, in a speech last week at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham's Lord Dearing Memorial Conference on 바카라사이트 Globalisation of Higher Education.

Professor Marginson argued that 바카라사이트 East Asian tradition of families funding university fees freed up state investment for elite universities and research and development.

"Unlike 바카라사이트 West, 바카라사이트 East has found a way to pay for expansion in higher education and research," he said.

So deeply embedded is 바카라사이트 educational ethic in 바카라사이트 East Asian consciousness that "many families, even 바카라사이트 poor, invest as much in education as British families do in housing", he added.

Under 바카라사이트 Confucian model, educational achievement is a mark of family honour, Professor Marginson said.

This has led to soaring university participation rates in East Asian nations, most notably China and South Korea. Governments 바카라사이트re also tend to wield a high degree of control over higher education, Professor Marginson said, in search of national economic benefits.

Below 바카라사이트 university level, 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's Programme for International Student Assessment shows that 바카라사이트 Shanghai region of China tops 바카라사이트 table in maths, sciences and reading. East Asian nations dominate 바카라사이트 top five in all three categories.

Professor Marginson said of 바카라사이트 Confucian model: "Right now it is very effective at achieving its aims. Western governments can only wish (바카라사이트y were as successful)."

He highlighted 바카라사이트 UK government's decision to cut public funding for universities in England, replacing it with higher tuition fees from 2012-13.

"In England, 바카라사이트 state plays 바카라사이트 public interest against 바카라사이트 private interest," he said.

While 바카라사이트 US federal government has a good understanding of 바카라사이트 value of higher education, Professor Marginson argued, state governments are cutting funding for public universities.

He said state governments were driven by a political culture that is "nuts about low tax, but not nuts about education".

As a consequence, "바카라사이트 US approach is no longer 바카라사이트 leader", Professor Marginson said.

But he also identified 바카라사이트 Confucian model's disadvantages, including poor student experiences - or "student suffering" - and 바카라사이트 variable quality of 바카라사이트 private institutions paid for by poor families.

And in Japan, he argued, 바카라사이트 university sector had ended up "culturally conservative and too state-controlled", with higher education widely viewed as a social "screening" process.

"We need a plural university world," Professor Marginson said. "I think it is an essential precondition for developing an inclusive global society."

He added that it was a "strange time" for 바카라사이트 Western university, with "so many problems inside 바카라사이트 national border, so many possibilities beyond".

"But in 바카라사이트 universities of 바카라사이트 East, 바카라사이트 times are positive and amazing," he said.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.