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Universities around the world are facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the corona virus. There has been global devastation of the entire education sector with long-term closure of schools. The health crisis and the accompanying education crisis continue, and the end of the crisis is not certain. The immediate response everywhere to the outbreak of the virus was closure of university campuses, disrupting almost all academic activities everywhere. After the immediate reaction, as a short-term response, universities began offering some core programmes in education and research by adopting digital technology. While some feel that online methods have improved overall access, many argue that they exacerbate existing inequalities in access to higher education and research among several groups of population. As the global health emergency is still continuing, it is widely noted that we need to develop, after initial immediate responses, short-term, medium- and long-term plans for developing robust higher education and research systems that contribute to knowledge development, reducing inequalities, and which can face future uncertain emergencies. The paper reviews some of the important developments that have taken place, and different perspectives that are emerging on the responses needed for the transformation of higher education in the post-COVID era.

Higher education system in India facing daunting challenges from within--forces from within the institutions, and from outside within the country, and from global forces. The system needs major and somewhat pressing, if not emergency reforms. At the same time, we are confronted with a variety of dilemmas in reforming higher education. It is argued here that some dilemmas are redundant, a few valid and genuine, and some need a little bold re-thinking--drawing from traditional wisdom and contemporary world experience. The paper deliberates on these different types of education dilemmas.

Global university rankings and world-class universities have become buzzwords almost in every country. Both exercise positive and not-so-positive impact on higher education systems. Universities everywhere are trying hard to improve their status and global rankings. The article reviews some of the important issues related to these two strongly emerging phenomena, and their influence on development of higher education in developing countries. A positive development is the increasing concern of the educational policymakers to improve the standards and quality in higher education institutions, and accordingly their launching of quite a few important "excellence initiatives". But the exclusive pursuit of status and ranks can have disastrous implications for the development of universities. Besides reviewing these two phenomena, the article critically reviews the approach of the Government of India in this regard.

There is a presumption among many policy makers that higher education is not necessary for economic growth and development; it is literacy and basic education and at best secondary education that are argued to be important. Estimates of internal rate of return contributed to strengthening of such a presumption. Accordingly, higher education has not figured on the poverty reduction agenda of many poor countries and of the international development organisations. The available limited research evidence shows this is not a correct presumption. However, most of the research concentrates on analyzing the role of literacy and basic education in development--economic growth, poverty reduction and social development, and the role of higher education in economic growth, not in poverty reduction and social development. The article uses most recently available secondary data on higher education and economic growth, poverty reduction and human development indicators such as infant mortality and life expectancy. With the help of regression analysis of data on a large cross section of countries--developing and developed--it analyses the relationship between post basic education and development indicators. The simple analysis attempted here leads us to conclude that higher education plays a significant role in development. It argues that though the contribution of higher education to development is quite significant, many developing countries do not pay adequate attention to it. (Contains 10 tables and 2 figures.)

There has been rapid growth in private higher education in most countries, including in Asia, during the last two-three decades. This growth, mostly motivated by profit, has had an effect on education and development in general and caused loss of equity--both social and economic, an increase in regional disparities, an erosion in quality, a change in attitudes, an erosion of national, social and educational values, public pauperisation and private enrichment, the crowding-out of the public sector, the development of an imbalanced higher education system caused by a loss of important academic disciplines in favour of marketable disciplines of study and research, and above all the loss of the public-good nature of higher education. Although there are wide differences between several countries in the Asian region, not only with respect to the levels of development, socio-economic development policies and their effects, but also specifically with respect to the growth of private higher education, the article examines some of these recent trends in the growth of private higher education in the Asian region, the socio-economic and educational effects, and the public policies in this regard, and outlines some implications for the future. (Contains 7 tables and 1 figure.)

There is a general presumption among many policy makers that secondary and higher education is not necessary for economic growth and development. On the other hand, it is literacy and primary education that is argued to be important. Estimates on internal rate of return also contributed to strengthening of such a presumption. Accordingly, secondary and higher education do not figure on the poverty reduction agenda of many poor countries and of the international aid organisations. The Indian experience also testifies to all this. Secondary and more strikingly higher education has been subject to neglect by the government. Using most recent statistics, it is attempted here to show that the general presumption on the weak or negligible role of secondary and higher education in development is not valid and that post-elementary education is important for reduction in poverty, in improving infant mortality and life expectancy, and for economic growth.

Describes features of the emerging knowledge society, its relationship with education, role of international organizations in knowledge development and management, and the need for knowledge based aid policies. Suggests that knowledge development is the responsibility of governments in developing nations, while knowledge management could be tasked to international aid organizations. (CAJ)

This article critically reviews implementation of the National Loan Scholarship Scheme in India. It examines the program's strengths, weaknesses, and problems (e.g., a culture with negative attitudes toward such loans). It concludes that student loans are making little contribution to either the efficiency or equity of higher education in India. (Author/DB)

The current pattern of higher education funding in India is examined, and desirability and feasibility of several alternative funding methods are discussed. It is argued that, in view of resource constraints and equity considerations, wholly public funding is not appropriate and that a mix of support sources should be used. (Author/MSE)

Attributes the growth of private education to excess and differentiated demand for higher education. Argues that evidence shows that the higher quality of private education is exaggerated and that private school attendance does not result in higher salaries for graduates. Criticizes private education as not wholly self-financing, elitist, and limited in courses of study. (DK)

Worsening economic conditions, reflected in mounting external debt, debt service, and structural adjustment processes have forced governments to reveal their expenditure priorities, which are largely against human capital investment activities like education. This paper examines this phenomenon, using cross-country data for Sub-Saharan Africa. Includes 26 references. (MLH)

Crucial aspects of university finances in India are reviewed, including the pattern of flow of resources into the university system and the pattern of allocation of resources by the university between its different functions and faculties. (Author/MLW)

The article discusses the phenomenon of world-class universities and world university rankings in the global higher education system. Many countries have initiated reforms in their higher education systems to develop world-class universities and improve their rankings. These initiatives include heavy public investment, internationalization of higher education, developing research universities, and launching special projects focusing on selected universities. The article provides detailed descriptions of nine cases of academic excellence initiatives in countries such as China, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, France, Denmark, Germany, and Russia. The success of these initiatives varies among countries, with some achieving significant improvements in rankings and research output. However, there are also concerns about the impact of these initiatives on other universities and the potential for creating differentiated systems. The article emphasizes the importance of cooperation, considering broader aspects of academic excellence, and not viewing these initiatives as substitutes for system-wide reforms. [Extracted from the article]

This article explores the global growth of private higher education and the need for critical analysis of this trend. It notes that private higher education has become increasingly prevalent, with over half of students enrolled in private institutions in 2020. The growth of private education is attributed to government policies that encourage its expansion. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding the differences between public and private institutions and the diverse goals and outcomes associated with different types of private institutions. It also mentions the higher degree of privatization in developing regions compared to economically advanced regions. The text provides an overview of the growth and diversity of private higher education institutions worldwide, highlighting that private education is driven by market forces and various societal players rather than state control. It discusses the dominance of for-profit institutions and the decline of non-profit entities. The article also explores the distinction between elite, semi-elite, and non-elite private institutions, with a focus on developing countries like India. It emphasizes the need for a nuanced understanding of private higher education and its impact, but does not offer a critique of private education or its effects. [Extracted from the article]

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On the basis of many of the overall quantitative indicators, the higher education scene in Kerala is found to be favourably comparable with the all-India scene, and in some respects, the situation in Kerala is better than some of the rapidly expanding higher education systems in southern states. However, some serious threats do persist, the most important of which being rapid growth of non-philanthropic private sector in higher education, which, if unchecked, may rattle the very foundations of a just and equitable higher education system, which in turn is the foundation of a humane society. With the help of some most recent data, this short note analyses a few selective important dimensions of higher education in Kerala around this broad theme. The attempt is to offer a critical comment on policies and approaches being adopted by Kerala for the development of higher education and to outline what lessons can be drawn from Kerala's own experience and the experience of other states and countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews a few important dimensions relating to social control on higher education. Social control on higher education has to be studied in relation to social functions of and society's responsibility for higher education. Presently all the three aspects are under jeopardy. Social control also includes control by not only the state, but also several other actors. The state which is ideally expected to play a very significant role in the development of higher education is unwilling to do so; in contrast, the market the entry of which into the arena of education is welcomed not by all, is very eager to take complete control of higher education; and the rest of the society has been a helpless onlooker only. In this overall context, it is critical that the public-good nature of higher education is resurrected, so that higher education helps in creating and building 'social pressures' for normative modes of social control of higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventionally, higher education is regarded as a public good, producing a huge set of externalities, benefiting not only the individuals but also the whole society. Higher education institutions are recognized as important social institutions, performing vital social functions, that are widely acknowledged as noble and core for the very sustenance of societies, besides creating and disseminating knowledge. But of late, the chronic shortage of public funds for higher education, the widespread introduction of neo-liberal economic policies and globalization in every country and in every sector, which also contributed to rapid growth in privatization of education, and the heralding of the international law on trade in services by the World Treaty Organization (WTO) and the General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS) - all tend to question the long-cherished and well-established view of many on higher education as a public good, and to propose and legitimize the sale and purchase of higher education, as if it is a commodity meant for trade. In India too, the introduction of neo-liberal policies in the early 1990s has resulted in a significant shift in public approach to education: the public good character is being forgotten, and the profit-seeking private sector is gaining strength. All this poses serious problems relating to access, quality, and equity in education, resulting in dangerous cracks in the edifice of higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]