The Backdrop: The Global Scenario

1. Global Forum on Issues ofInternational Quality AssuranceRegional Perspectives: The Asia-Pacific A.Gnanam National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), India

2. The Backdrop:The Global Scenario • Global Public Expenditure on HE - more than 1000 billion US $ • Global Private Investment in HE - around 500 billion US $ • Annual gain by the presence of overseas students in the country - 10 billion US $ in USA in 2000 - 3.2 billion A$ in Australia in 2000 ...Continued

3. Continuation... • International Trade in HE through consumption abroad - 27 billion US $ in 1995 • Overseas students in the campus - Covered by National QA systems • Consumption abroad - Transnational in delivery, not covered by national QA, Questionable qualifications

4. Trade in HE in Asia-Pacific • Major exporters in HE • USA, France, Germany, England, Australia, Canada • First among the exporters of HE - USA • Major importers from USA • 58% of the US trade in education is with the Asian Countries • In order - Japan, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Korea

5. The Asia-Pacific Context(Major Importers) • Around 35 countries of different stages of socio-economic development • Diversity in language, culture and coverage • Variance in changing context and consequent challenges • Difference in the development stage of HE • Difference in the development of QA systems

6. Development of QA • Among the major importers - Japan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia - dedicated QA • Korea - QA by the Korean Council of Univ. • China - QA mechanism by the existing govt. regulatory body • Other Asian countries - well established in Philippines - initial stage in Cambodia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka • Network efforts - AUN, APQN of INQAAHE, UNESCO sponsored Expert Meet on Indicators of Qualityin India

7. QA and Mutual Recognition Issues of Concern • Absence of a regional recognition center • Absence of a well developed regional data base on course equivalence • Variance in quality and qualifications framework among the countries Encouraging Development • Move towards NQA in all the countries Viable Alternate - NQA as a tool for MR

8. International Regulatory Framework • Imbalance in the number of providers and receivers • Issues of developed Vs developing countries • Increased access through import cannot be an option • Long term import will be a drain on the system • Education as basic infrastructure has to be developed in the developing world • Low volume transnational activity in most of the countries

9. Limitations of IRF • Tension with the national QA • Sustainability and Feasibility of IRF • IRF cannot differ much from a good NQA • IRF itself may be construed an intrusive step in the global educational services

10. Viable Strategy • International Framework but not Regulatory in nature • Co-operation among NQAAs and not a centralised regulatory body • Collective strategy based on: • Trustworthy NQAAs • Code of Good Practices • WTO as the appellate body Good Starting Point – UNESCO Code

11. UNESCO Code of Good Practices • Drawn from many sources • Based on extensive consultations • Interaction and reference with • NGOs • IAUP • GATS circulars • CRE • ESIB • CHEA etc

12. Thank You