Education for All and Cross-Border Provision of Higher Education in the Asia-Pacific

Abstract

Worldwide, the issue of supply and demand in higher education is becoming an ever-increasing concern of the new millennium. Since 1990, when the Education for All movement began, significant progress has been made towards achieving a quality basic education for all by 2015. While UNESCO may not necessarily reach this goal for all children, a considerable proportion, irrespective of background or nationality, will receive a basic education free of charge. Currently, emphasis is being placed on the quality and variety of instruction. However, little is being done about what to do with those students who ultimately complete their secondary education. Will there be enough university places to meet demand? Will interventions need to be mounted to ensure rigid entry requirements for university matriculation? Will all students be subject to the same standards for entry and be offered a place for study in their chosen discipline?