FORMULATING INTERNATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION FRAMEWORKFOR REGIONAL COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION IN ASIA
17-18 JANUARY 2008, TOKYOREGIONAL CENTRE OF EXPERTISE ON
EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT (RCE EfSD):
AN EMERGING MODEL FOR REGIONAL
COOPERATION THROUGH HIGHEREDUCATION
Zainal Abidin Sanusi, Ph.D
Coordinator
Regional Centre of Expertise
On Education for Sustainable Development
Universiti Sains Malaysia

QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
1.
Are HE at the cross road?
2.
How Asia is Asia?
3.
How Higher Educations contributed to
Asianization/Westernization of Asia?
4.
What are the current trends in Higher Educations
Framework?
5.
How European integration experiences influence thecontent and trends of internationalization of Higher
Educations in Asia?
6.
How sustainable are the trends?
7.
Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) - as sustainable
platform for regional integration through universities

PRESENTATION OUTLINE
1. Contextual Background I : Emerging Trends in
Regional Integration
2. Contextual Background II: Regional Integrationand Higher Education
3. Contextual Background III: Experiences in theWest (European Integration)
4. The Case Study - Regional Centre of Expertiseon Education for Sustainable Development: A
Model for Regional Integration Through Higher
Education
5. Future Implications

FRAMEWORK OF ARGUMENTS:
1. Asian must revert to promote and celebrate its
own values as basis for regional integration
2. The content/driving forces/soft component of
Asian regionalism should differ from thecurrent trend of regionalism based on templatefrom other integration experiences
3. Consequently, university response(reforms/restructure etc) to forces ofglobalization and internationalization (contents
and mechanisms) must be of its own Asiancharacteristics

continuation
4. Promoting Asian sustainable values - many
principles of sustainability have long been an
embedded values in Asia (religion, communal
ethic, love and respect to nature etc.)
5. These should be the framework and way
forward for universities in Asia – national
development (after independence) toaddressing global issues through local/regional
solutions

CONTEXTUAL BACKGROUND I:
EMERGING TRENDS IN REGIONAL COOPERATION AND
INTEGRATIONThe existing framework of regionalism:
Substance: Economic cooperation
 Monetary and finance Trade and investment
 Regional public goods
 Security
Structure:
Top down
Meeting, conference, workshop etc.
Actor:
Track I and II (national level)

Emerging trends of regionalism – mainstreaming offunctional cooperation
Substance: Human resource development
 Global issues – environment, human rights, sustainable
development
Structure:
Bottom up
Conference, workshop, meeting etc plus networking
Actor
Multiple actors (multi track) – more diverse from all level(universities and local civil society actor)

CRITICAL ELEMENTS IN THE NEW REGIONALISM
 Diverging vs. converging approach Locally developed platform Maintaining diversity
 Cross-discipline issues
Can there be one model integrating these requirements?

REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND HIGHEREDUCATION
 Models in response to globalization vs.

localization
 Models in response to structure vs. substance Models in response to autonomous vs.
nationalizedMajor trends in HE framework responding to various forces „Academic imperialism‟
Education and culture as platform – Edward Said – Culture andImperialism „Academic capitalism‟“The metaphor of academic capitalism reveals a powerful “Today,higher education has become a commodity marketed acrossborders under the general agreement on trade and services(GATS)”“The rapid growth of the global market in higher education indicates
how things have changed. National concerns and social
expectations are being replaced by profit considerations, and market
forces now decide the purpose and priorities of higher education”
Collins, Christopher S. (2007). A General Agreement on Higher
Education: GATS, Globalisation, and Imperialism. Research inComparative and International Education. Vol. 2, Issue 4, Article 2.
 „Academic independence/autonomy‟
Searching for the model What are the element/contents/frameworks

RESPONSE: THE CASE OF INTERNATIONALIZATIONAMONG HEThe University of Melbourne in Australia:“to contribute effectively to their communities wherever inthe world they choose to live and work.” The University of Guadalajara, Mexico:“seeks to foster students‟ holistic development, including
increased tolerance and The love of country and humanity.” University of Botswana, Africa:seeks to “advance the intellectual and human resource
capacity of the nation and the international community.”
 Kyoto University“welcomes students from all over the world who aspire tolearn and to foster their interest in taking an active part ininternational society.”cont‟
 Tokyo University (the President‟s message)“the university aims to become the “World‟s Tokyo
University” and strives to create “an institution that
contributes to the benefit of all human society.” New York University (Message from the President)“…claims “global university” status and “We have
expanded our focus from New York, the world‟s capitalcity, to become a truly global university, with significant
New York University Centers around the world.”
Where will all these lead to?

United Nations World Trade University
 Virtual University
 World University
 ASEAN UniversityTHE COMMON RECIPE IN HE FRAMEWORK Quality assurance, academic standards and recognitionof degrees
 Brain drain Promotion of cultural awareness and loss of cultural
identity Mobility of students, scholars, faculty Development assistance and cooperation
 Institutional, national and regional funding and support
 Use of ICT and distance education
 Development of networks, consortia and multilateralagreements
 International research projects and collaboration
 Recruitment of international students

CRITICAL QUESTIONS:
 Who define?
 Whose benchmark?
 Whose values?
 Whose mould?
 Whose final objectives?
 SUGGEST A NEED FOR A MODEL OFHIGHER EDUCATION FRAMEWORK WHICH
REFLECT EMERGING TRENDS OFREGIONALISM

EXPERIENCES IN THE WEST (EUROPEAN INTEGRATION)









BOLOGNA PROCESS - to create the European higher education area
by making academic degree standards and quality assurance
standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe
SOCRATES/Erasmus - supports and encourages exchanges ofstudents and teachers, the launching of joint study programmes or
intensive courses, pan-european thematic networks and othermeasures aiming at the development of a european dimension inhigher education.
Since 1990 more than 300 college leaders have signed Talloires
Declaration, which commits them to the pursuit of a sustainable future.
In the past year alone, the pace of change toward that direction has
accelerated markedly in the United States, with dozens of institutions
jumping on the hybrid-electric bandwagon of sustainability.
In a blizzard of news releases, they have vowed to curb carbon
emissions, buy clean energy, reduce waste, serve organic food,purchase hybrid cars, appoint sustainability directors, build green
dormitories, plant native shrubs, or divest from socially irresponsible
companies.

REGIONAL CENTRE OF EXPERTISE ON
EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT: A ‘GLORENACAL’* MODEL
FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION THROUGHHIGHER EDUCATION“The Age of the Nation is past; it is time to build the Earth- French anthropologist Teihard de Chardin*global, regional, national, local

BACKGROUND
Is regional cooperation through HE a new development?
(REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON HIGHER EDUCATION : NATIONAL STRATEGIESAND REGIONAL CO-OPERATION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, TOKYO, JAPAN,
8-10 JULY 1997)“While recognizing that globalization and internationalization are irreversible
trends, support for these concepts should not lead to dominance or new
forms of imperialism by major cultures and value systems from outside
the region; rather, it is of vital importance that every effort should betaken to protect and promote the strengths of local cultures andintellectual and scholarly traditions;Regional co-operation among the countries of the region, especially inhigher education, can make significant contributions in addressing major
policy problems, strengthening national capacity in economic and social
development, and facilitating the sharing of important expertise andexperience. Regional co-operation is especially desirable in view of thediversity of the region and the potential for dynamic collaboration.”

“In addition, higher education institutions should explore opportunities
to promote processes aiming at regional integration without losing
diversity

Joint Action Plans must be established, in order to prevent duplicatedefforts, to optimize efficiency and to ensure the further developmentof higher education through the enhanced mobilization of additional
resources, by international and regional organizations dealing withinter-university co-operation and strengthening of global networks,by all regional, sub-regional and national associations of universities
and higher education institutions, by the representatives of private
and public universities, by networks of institutions for research andteaching, as well as by development organizations and agencies,
governmental and non-governmental organizations.
The United Nations University and, in particular, the Institute ofAdvanced Studies in Tokyo, should co-operate with higher
education institutions of the region in strengthening networks and inbuilding global networks leading to the solution of pressing global
problems of human survival and welfare. The mass media of theregion should be called on to support these initiatives.” (THEORIGINATION OF RCE)WHAT IS AN RCE?
An RCE is a network of existing formal, non-formal andinformal education organisations, mobilised to deliver
education for sustainable development (ESD) to local
and regional communities. A network of RCEs worldwide
will constitute the Global Learning Space for Sustainable
Development. RCEs aspire to achieve the goals of the
UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development(DESD, 2005-2014), by translating its global objectives
into the context of the local communities in which they
operate.

Core elements of an RCEGovernance - addressing issues of RCE management
and leadership Collaboration - addressing the engagement of actors
from all levels of formal, non-formal and informal
education in RCE activities
 Research and development - addressing the role ofresearch and its inclusion in RCE activities, as well as
contributing to the design of strategies for collaborative
activities, including those with other RCEs
 Transformative education - contributing to thetransformation of the current education and training
systems to satisfy ambitions of the region regarding
sustainable living and livelihood.
COMMUNITY NETWORK STRUCTURE
Formal Education

Non-formal Education

Ministry of Higher Education,
Ministry of Education, Ministryof Natural Resource andEnvironment

USM‟s Research Centers,
Fisheries Research, Penang
Botanical Garden, Penang
National Park, Taiping Peace
Initiative, Matang Mangrove
Reserve

Polytechnic Seberang Perai,
Community College Kepala
Batas, Community College
Bayan Lepas, UiTM , Teachers
Training Colleges, RECSAM
Private Colleges, Other
Universities
Secondary Schools

Primary Schools

State Government of Penang and Its
Agencies, Penang Municipal Council,
Seberang Perai Municipal Council,
Penang Development Corporation,
Penang Regional Development Authority
Penang Heritage Trust, Consumer
Association of Penang, Third World
Networks, Malaysian Nature Society,Social Economic Research Institute,Community based NGOs. Media and
Local Business Community

RCE Around the World – A Driving Force for Inter-regional
Cooperation

North East
Skane
IrelandSamaraGraz-Styria

Creias-Oeste

Saskatchewan
Kyrgyz Republic

Kobe-Hyogo

Grand Rapids

Montreal

Greater North Central Texas

JordanChubu
Western Jalisco

Kano
Ghana

Lagos

Cebu
Greater Nairobi
Yogyakarta

Pacific Island Countries
Kwa-Zulu Natal
Makana & Rural Eastern Cape

Curitiba-Parana

RCEs in Asia Pacific – An Emerging Platform for Asian Regional Cooperation

RCEs Acknowledged
in 2005 and 2006
1. Greater Sendai
2. Okayama
3. Penang
4. Pacific
5. Tongyeong
6. Cebu
7. Yokohama

2

9

2

10
5

1

8

1
2 7
1

5

3

6

6

4
11
3

7

New RCEs Acknowledgedin August 2007
1. Chubu, Japan
2. Kobe-Hyogo, Japan
3. Yogyakarta, Indonesia

3

4

RCE Acknowledgedin early 2007
1. Anji, China
2. Beijing, China
3. Guwahati, India
4. Kodagu, India
5. Lucknow, India
6. Pune, India
7. Bogor, Indonesia
8. Kitakyushu, Japan
9. Kyrgyz Republic
10. Incheon, Republicof Korea
11. Trang, Thailand

HOW DO RCEs CONTRIBUTE TO REGIONAL
COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION
Addressing global issues through locally developed
solution Multilevel multi stakeholders
 Inside out approach Bridging the community and university community Multidisciplinary approach A model of regionalization from within Inter-regional frameworkPROGRAM I
 RCE International Conference, USM, Penang, Malaysia August 2007
 Activities:- General Conference on Sustainable Development – establishingregional and inter-regional collaborative projects- Individual meeting based on Region (Asia Pacific and Europe)for local actions
 Organizer: RCE Penang @ USM and UN University
 Participant: Multi stakeholders (44 RCEs, International
Organizations, NGOS) Outcomes: List of collaborative projects (within region and interregional)
 Role of Higher Education: Most of the RCEs lead by universities

PROGRAM II RCE Collaborative Research (April 2006-March 2007)
 Activities: Comparative research on governance ofsustainable development among 4 RCE (Sendai, Okayama,
Yokohama and Penang
 Organizer: RCE Penang @ USM and UN University withfunding from Japan Foundation Sumitomo Foundation
 Participant: Okayama University, Miyagi University,
Universiti Sains Malaysia
 Outcomes: Report on Comparative Governance of SD
between Japan and Malaysia
 Implication on regional cooperation:
Better understanding of governance structure in Sustainable
Development

PROGRAM III
 Postgraduate Research and Education of Sustainable Development
Network (April 2008 onwards)
 Participating universities:
 Universiti Sains Malaysia (Malaysia)
 University Gadja Mada (Indonesia)
 Yonsei University, South Korea
 Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
 University of the Philippine
 University of Tokyo
 University of Hokkaido
 University of Nagoya
 Tongji University, China
 TERI University, India
CORE ACTIVITIES Collaborative program involving all the member universities in the theme
on Sustainable Development
 Faculty training program Community development program Student Exchange Program Training program for government official

PROGRAM IV
 RCE Collaborative Project on Sustainable Health Program(April 2008)
 Objective:
Addressing Global Health Problem Through Local Solutions
from the participating universities
 Unique feature: An inside out approach of bridging university andcommunity An innovative platform of merging science and social
aspect A focus on marginal group/countries/region
 Main organizer/participants: RCE Penang/RCE in Asia Pacific Activities: Comprehensive SD program in a selected area
 Health – students offering medical service and diagnostic
kit at affordable rate
 Economic activities (paper from banana trees)PROGRAM V
1st ASEAN Conference on Sustainable Development:
Creating Synergies Towards Sustainable Solutions (June2008)
 Objectives: Creating synergies among regional agencies and policies inaddressing global issues (climate change, environmental
preservation etc)
 Promoting local (as in a nation and a belongs to ASEAN
region) solution for global application
 Creation of Regional Youth Network to address global issues
 Provide platform for RCE Asia Pacific Meeting
 Main organizer: RCE Penang and Yayasan Tun Razak Participants: University experts, NGO, INGO, regional agencies(ASEAN) and related regional and international bodies
FUTURE IMPLICATIONS Development of new platform for regional integration basedon functional cooperation - sustainability/sustainable
development
Emergence of inter-regional cooperation with higher
education as lead agencies



Mainstreaming of networking as force of regional/interregional cooperation