Putting higher education in its place in (East Asian) political economy

ABSTRACT

This article relates changes in higher education (HE) and research in East Asian societies to recent trends in political economy and, in particular, the reorientation of developmental states (DSs) in the region. The DS is oriented to catch-up competitiveness and, as the horizon of development shifts, so do its appropriate institutional forms and strategies. Catch-up competitiveness is guided by economic imaginaries, often linked to geoeconomic, geopolitical, and broader societal imaginaries, whose hegemony depends on particular discursive and disciplinary practices. The shift in the roles of HE and research is related to the reorientation of DSs from export-oriented, investment-led growth to knowledge-intensive, investment-led growth, supplemented in some cases by efforts to create international financial hubs to exploit a global trend towards financialisation. These themes are explored through comparison of selected East Asian economies/societies. The article ends with some general conclusions about the state's continuing role in HE and its internationalisation in the region.     

Tutoring in (online) higher education: Experimental evidence

Demand for personalized online tutoring in higher education is growing but there is little research on its effectiveness. We conducted an RCT offering remote peer tutoring in micro- and macroeconomics at a German university teaching online due to the Covid-pandemic. Treated students met in small groups, in alternating weeks with and without a more senior student tutor. The treatment improved study behavior and increased contact to other students. Tutored students achieved around 30% more credits and a one grade level better GPA across treated subjects. Our findings suggest that the program reduced outcome inequality. We find no impacts on mental health.     

British Asian women and the costs of higher education in England

This article will examine Asian women’s experiences of financial support in higher education. The article is based on 30 in-depth interviews with Asian women who were studying at a ‘new’ (post-1992) university in the South East of England. Women identified themselves as Muslim, Hindu and Sikh. The findings reveal that women’s religious and cultural background affects their attitudes towards financial support whilst at university. Through their participation in higher education, women are able to use their social and ethnic capital to enable them to receive financial and other kinds of support necessary for their success in higher education.     

Meritocracy and diversity in higher education: Discrimination against Asian Americans in the post-Bakke era

This paper examines recent changes in admissions patterns and policies of some of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the U.S., with particular reference to the University of California-Berkeley. It focuses specifically on the recent moves away from the application of strict meritocratic admissions criteria toward an increasing reliance on subjective or nonacademic criteria and an emerging but vaguely defined concept of diversity. It also assesses the impact of these changes on both the admissions of Asian American students and the time-honored principle of meritocracy upon which these world-class universities have built their reputations of academic excellence. It is concluded that current efforts to limit Asian American access to high-quality education are a manifestation of a very old anti-Asian bias. This racist bias is deeply woven into the fabric of our society and embedded in our culture and national consciousness.     

Student selection and admission to higher education:Policies and practices in the Asian region

Student selection and admission for higher education in the Asian region are matters of concern at a time when there is rapid growth in enrolments and mounting pressure for changes, and when public funds are unable to match demands for expansion. This paper provides a broad review of policies and practices in developing and newly industrialised countries of the Asian region, paying particular attention to access, selection, the admission process, equity and links to the labour market. It attempts an evaluation and provides suggestions for policymakers.