Educated women are an important resource, given the huge demand for local professionals in the corporate, manufacturing and services sectors a demand which has been fuelled by the economic miracles of Asia, the export-led booms and the growing presence of multinationals. At Monash University's Malaysia campus, the number of female student enrolments is increasing. Not only does this reflect the growth of the young campus, it also indicates the level of interest in tertiary education among young women. Dr Catherine Yule, a lecturer in environmental management at Monash Malaysia, said that more than 70 per cent of science students studying biotechnology and environmental management were females. Monash Malaysia's senior marketing manager, Mr Stephen Ng, noted that the younger generation of parents in Malaysia consider their sons and daughters to be equal, provided they performed well in their studies.
Girls are more receptive to pursuing careers in engineering and business than their grandparents.
Dr Blackburn also noted that in the Philippines, female students outnumbered their male counterparts in business studies. Women from the Philippines are known for being articulate and confident. There is excellent domestic back-up available, allowing women to return to work soon after childbirth to pursue their careers. Cheap domestic labour and extended family kinship are tremendous advantages. The extended family provides the support necessary for women to work because of the tradition of supporting relatives financially.