Asian Education and Development Studies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to clarify the function and issues of intra- and inter-regional cooperation of international higher education in Asia and consider the possibility of East Asian integration as regionalization.

Design/methodology/approach – The research consists of two steps. First, by comparing with examples of regional networks and universities’ cooperation programs, it breaks down the current situation of regional cooperation. Second, it analyses the structure of those networks and programs.

Findings – Both regional education networks and universities’ cooperation programs develop in multi-layers and in different phases, and they have a function of distribution of Asian higher education as public goods for regionalization. There are still issues such as immigration control relating to the people's and programs’ mobility, program language, financial and personnel affairs, as well as adjustments to be made in accreditation assessment, credit compatibility and quality assurance including curriculum setting. Retaining the autonomy of countries and higher education agencies in international cooperation is also the major issue in promoting these programs. However, such international cooperation produces the new forms of international higher education for human resource development.

Research limitations/implications – Not all networks and programs can be examined, but the trend and characteristics of the cooperation in higher education can be highlighted.

Practical implications – The findings give significance to the “Campus Asia” concept which is now in preparation for realization by the agreement at the summit of China, Japan and South Korea in October 2009.

Originality/value – While integration and regionalization in East Asia has been discussed previously from the political and economic aspects, this paper responds to the subject from the socio-cultural aspect by focusing on international higher education in Asia.