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Unit 28: Globalization of Education

to emphasize the practical, technical value of higher education. The commodification of Notes
knowledge as intellectual property has occurred particularly with regard to connecting the
intellectual work of universities with community, business, and government interests and
priorities. While such a tendency is often welcomed by so-called applied disciplines, it causes
tensions between the more profitable applied subjects of science and technology, and those of
basic theoretical enquiry, particularly arts and humanities subjects. It also creates institutional
winners and losers.
Under the impact of globalising market forces, there has been a general trend towards the
reduction of per capita public funding to higher education, at a time when the system is still
expanding at both the initial and the ‘life-long learning’ levels. The burden of funding higher
education is being shifted more and more to the shoulders of the individual on a ‘users-pay’
basis. Even public universities are increasingly funded by non-governmental sources, especially
via student tuition and other fees, donations raised from alumni and others, and direct payment
from business for services provided by the universities.
The linkage of performance to allocation of operation funds leads to intense competition among
universities. Associated with that is the move to privatisation of higher education. Tensions
between academic and commercial based subject are increasing. Substantial decline in levels of
public funding, the current globalisation of higher education is mainly motivated by profits. Its
goal is to meet market demand and to create a market for a variety of educational products.
With substantial growth in the international student market, the issue of regulation of providers
arises. It is extremely difficult to regulate the trade in academic institutions, programs, degrees
or products across international borders.
The current globalisation of higher education creates both challenges and opportunities. The
relationship between universities education and globalisation gives special attention. Education
will be the answer to many problems raised by globalisation. Educational goals are seen to be
an area of great concern in the era of globalisation. It is here that universities play a crucially
important role, for create better society. It is impossible to ignore the global; universities need
to reflect on the impact of globalisation. They must engage with the issues of globalisation,
both theoretically as analysts and researchers, and practically as academic workers involved in
an increasingly globalised enterprise.
Universities providing a high quality education for the globalised world, despite its focus on
internationalism and cross-cultural communication, are still based on an individualistic model
of teaching. Education should not become a means of westernising the world. On the contrary,
it should treat each unique culture and society with due respect, realising that global education
is not only learning about the West, but also studying different cultures of the world, using
different approaches, ways of teaching and different media.
Globalisation has had many obvious effects on educational technology and communication
systems change the way education is delivered as well as roles played by both teachers and
students. The development of this technology is facilitating the transition from an industrial
based society to an information-based one. At the same time, there is a dark side to globalisation
and to the very openness of the new information systems. While the richest countries grow
richer, the poor are becoming poorer. Income, information and education gaps between the
rich and the poor are widening not narrowing; economic crises, trade imbalances and structural
adjustments have precipitated a moral crisis in many countries, tearing the basic social and
cultural fabric of many families and communities apart, resulting in increasing youth
unemployment, suicide, violence, racism and drug abuse and anti social behavior form schools.
In the 21st century, education systems face the dual challenge of equipping students with the
new knowledge, skills and values needed to be competitive in a global market while at the
same time producing graduates who are responsible adults, good citizens both of their country
and of the world. Thus globalisation challenges us to rethink not only how much education is
needed but also its ultimate purposes.

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