The Dragon and the Tiger Cubs: China-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Relations in Higher Education

• In Event: New Directions in the Study of Global Policy Actors in Education

Abstract

Nations across the dynamic Asia Pacific see higher education as a key pillar of the 21st century knowledge economies, and seek to deploy their higher education resources to their greatest advantage – to increase national competitiveness, enhance economic growth rates, and boost international prestige. Against this backdrop, regionalism, notably ASEAN and ASEAN + 3, offers both challenges and opportunities. Nowhere is this more apparent than with respect to China’s rise, in particular the dramatic rise of its Research and Development system, in both quantitative and qualitative terms. While regionalism and its connection to globalization processes are acknowledged as of growing importance, too little attention has been paid to the implications in the Asia Pacific, particularly in higher education.

Asian regionalism in higher education is fast growing. China’s rise presents ASEAN nations with challenges and opportunities, including related issues of knowledge economies and soft power. This chapter explores the intersection of three powerful contemporary trends: regionalism, rising knowledge economies and China’s rise. It aims to chart the extent and examine the impact of China-ASEAN regionalism in higher education, examines competitive and cooperative strategies in higher education between China and ASEAN member states, and investigates interactions in higher education between China and ASEAN member nations. It both enhances understanding of a highly strategic and dynamic policy arena and highlights the implications for other countries in their international relations in higher education in a context of surging regionalism in world politics.

Author

• Rui Yang, University of Hong Kong