Internationalization of Higher Education: a Case Study of Thailand and Malaysia

Authors

  • Napaporn Armstrong

Keywords:

Internationalization of Higher Education, Guidelines on "Quality Provision in Cross-Border Higher Education", International universities in Thailand and Malaysia, Good practice

Abstract

Due to the growth of globalization and the knowledge based economy together with the impact of GATS and ASEAN declaration of ASEAN community, internationalization of higher education in Thailand has developed into a very significant area that should be considered as an important agenda item at the level of ASEAN. To achieve a resilient, dynamic and sustained ASEAN Community, all parties in ASEAN member countries agreed to treat education cooperation as a priority in the process of community building. To succeed in these commitments, the education sector in every member nation needs to be very well prepared and more prepared to open their doors and to learn from each other proactively. Thailand has positioned itself as a hub of higher education in the Southeast Asian countries and aims to develop higher education quality that meets international standards in order to strengthen major manpower and enable to compete with the other countries. Malaysia a neighboring country to Thailand has also a national objective to become an education hub in the region.

This study aims to find the answers to the following questions. Whether government as key actors in both Thailand and Malaysia exercise policies that use good practices to enhance and sustain the quality of internationalization for
higher education? Whether applying the guidelines on "Quality Provision in Cross-Border Higher Education", based on United Nations and UNESCO principles and instruments will secure quality of internationalization of higher education and enhance the education hub policy? How far have Thailand and Malaysia progressed in achieving their goals on internationalization of Higher Education? What are the success stories of internationalization of Higher Education Institutions in Thailand and Malaysia and what challenges have they faced and are still facing in this area?

This study is designed by using a mixture of methods through case studies, interviewing Thai and Malaysian administrators, and surveying some administrators and staff of selected international universities in Thailand and Malaysia to find out the answers to the above questions.

Author Biography

Napaporn Armstrong

Ph.D. Candidate in Educational Leadership, Graduate School of Education, Assumption University, Thailand

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How to Cite

Armstrong, N. (2014). Internationalization of Higher Education: a Case Study of Thailand and Malaysia. Scholar: Human Sciences, 3(1). Retrieved from http://www.assumptionjournal.au.edu/index.php/Scholar/article/view/274

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