Higher Education Systems and Policy in South Asia

Abstract

The ten countries featured in this section include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, eight countries that are traditionally part of the South Asian region, as well as Mauritius and Myanmar, both of which have a shared history with the region. We set the context for the goals of higher education in the region and present a comparative analysis of the higher education systems in these countries, highlighting their unique features, similarities, and differences. It is evident from the presentations of each of these countries that governments are aware of the need to participate in and benefit from the knowledge economy – of increasing enrolment in higher education, of providing autonomy to institutions to enable innovation, of supporting faculty, and of improving the overall quality of research. Although every country has either already undertaken or is in the midst of undertaking reforms toward achieving these goals, there are several challenges to overcome, and it is apparent that more effort needs to be put in before the youth in the region can truly benefit.