Introduction: Internationalising Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Critical Reflections, Critical Times

Abstract

In this conference we want to critically reflect on the internationalization of education with particular reference to the Asia-Pacific region and a focus on meanings, purposes, ethics, practices, futures, tensions. contradictions, and consequences in these critical times. The conference engages with the premise that we live in an age of increasingly complex movements of educational ideas, programs, personnel and students. These movements are occurring at various levels of education, among and between schools, universities, technical colleges, and corporate education providers. A key driver of these movements appears to be local and global social, cultural, and economic policies and contexts, resulting in the desire on the part of provider institutions to gain revenue, and on the part of students to obtain skills and knowledge that will enable them to advance in their careers. These educational flows are also occurring in increasingly complex times, characterised by local, regional and global struggles over culture, labor, resources, sustainable development, population movements, ideas, and knowledge, religious fundamentalism, militarism, increasing poverty, and environmental degradation.