Higher Education in Asia and the Search for a New Modernity: An Introduction

No region has undergone as profound a transformation as Asia during the past halfcentury, from the 1970’s to the present. The unprecedented economic growth has driven major social and demographic changes and institutional reforms and, in most countries, has brought about greater political stability. The advent of a large middle class, coupled with the openness driven by economic imperatives, has contributed to greater interconnectedness among Asian states and between them and the rest of the world. Higher education was not estranged from these dynamics. On the contrary, at a time when economic growth seems to be related to knowledge production and advanced skills, Asian governments and citizens expect higher education institutions (HEIs) to create the conditions for the development of their countries and to train the future generation to be innovative and creative and to pursue sustainable growth [First paragraph

International Scholarships for Equity in Higher Education

Discussions about achieving access and equity in higher education are often centered on debates about university admissions policies. While this focus is to be expected given the direct bearing that admissions policies have on who gains access, there are initiatives beyond the university sphere that seek to increase equity in higher education. Scholarship and fellowship programs, both public and private, impact the lives of countless individuals pursuing tertiary education, and many of these programs seek not just to provide financial support, but to achieve broader aims for the greater public good.The Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP) is one such program that sought to address educational inequality on a large scale by providing over 4,300 graduate fellowships to individuals from some of the most marginalized populations worldwide. The Institute of International Education (IIE) is carrying out a 10-year IFP Alumni Tracking Study that examines the broader impacts of IFP on its fellows and their home communities. This issue brief analyzes the role that such programs can play in promoting equity in higher education.Researchers and practitioners alike can use this brief to consider different conceptual and programmatic approaches to advancing equity in higher education using IFP as an example. The brief draws upon the work of Michele S. Moses, a philosopher of education who identifies four salient types of justification for affirmative action policies at universities. These rationales provide a conceptual framework for understanding different approaches to achieving educational equity, including those employed by IFP

US Student Mobility Trends in a Global Context

Drawing upon current student mobility data, this article highlights five key developments in the field of international student mobility, with a particular focus on the United States. Trends related to specific international education initiatives are examined, as is the impact of a shifting political climate globally

Attracting and Retaining Global Talent: International Graduate Students in the United States

In light of current developments in in-bound international student flows to the U.S., this articleuses multiple recent data sources to examine the appeal of the U.S. as a destination forinternational graduate students, as well as the current status of international graduate enrollmentin the U.S

Global Student and Talent Flows: Reexamining the Brain Drain Equation

At a time when the student mobility landscape is poised to undergo significant changes, this article argues that it is time to revisit the brain drain issue and examine the fundamental ethics, assumptions, and power dynamics that underpin student mobility, thus ensuring that the mobility of students and talent is based on principles of access, equity, and inclusiveness

Trends and Directions in Global Student Mobility

Drawing upon two recent publications, this article highlights some trends in student mobility, including the emergence of new players, the shift from brain drain' to brain gain' and brain circulation', language as a key driver for study overseas, and new internationalization policies that are re-mapping the flow of global talent. The article also explores the expanding definition of mobility that will likely have an impact on global student flows in the near future

Building Connections During a Time of Global Change: An International Snapshot of Virtual Exchange

Virtual exchange has witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years, yet much remains to be known about types of programs globally; characteristics of participants and content of programs; and countries engaged in these activities. Based on a 2021 survey of virtual exchange, this article presents key findings about the landscape of global virtual exchange, while sharing lessons learned and implications for implementing virtual exchange. Further, the variable impact of COVID-19 on virtual exchange is also examined

Expanding Vistas: International Academic Mobility in Brazil

This study provides insight into global mobility in Brazil's higher education sector. With support from the Australian Government's Department of Education and Training, the IIE Center for Academic Mobility Research examines select indicators of internationalization in Brazilian higher education, including the provision of courses taught in English, virtual learning, and initiatives to support inbound and outbound student flows.The findings can help to expand Brazilian higher education institutions' capacity to gather and report mobility data.

Social Justice Leaders in Action: IFP Impacts in Asia

The second report from our 10-year impact study of the Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP), Social Justice Leaders in Action provides an in-depth look at the lives and careers of IFP alumni in three Asian countries—India, Indonesia, and the Philippines—detailing the different pathways alumni have taken and the ways they have leveraged their skills and networks to effect change.Drawing upon focus groups and interviews with 274 IFP alumni and community stakeholders, this qualitative research highlights the stories behind the numbers shared in the study's first report, Social Justice and Sustainable Change: The Impacts of Higher Education, released in April 2016. The findings from Social Justice Leaders in Action provide insights not only at how life-altering IFP was at an individual level, but how that transformative power extends through alumni to their organizations, communities, and societies