A critique of the drive towards the globalization of higher education

Abstract

In this paper, we argue that global, technology‐driven higher education may not be addressing issues that impact on the effectiveness of learning for differing people across the planet. It is necessary to explore the rationale for such globalization, and consider the optimistic proponents of this trend, as well as the drivers, benefits, and higher educational arguments that exist for its development. There are a number of technological advances that have allowed for the development of a global marketplace in higher education, and issues relating to technology‐shaping society point to a number of social choice arguments and problems with technology‐driven global education. The notion of financially motivated ‘global pillage’ is evidenced by courses franchized into developing countries. The importance of cross‐cultural diversity shows how some technology‐based global learning systems may be failing to address the cultural context of education. The role of the global media industry delivering a morass of ‘informing’ trivia available across the Internet questions Broadcast Only/Push Technology and identifies the issue of education overload. The globalization of higher education should stress the importance of the tools for developing countries that provide self‐produced appropriate higher education for themselves, and remove cynical profiteerin