The Impact of Globalisation on Higher Education
In recent years, the term ‘globalisation’ has been defined in variety ways. According to a definition provided by Albatch (2014), globalization is described as the broad economic, technological, scientific, specific policies and programmes, and new higher education trend. This view is also supported by Brodie (2017) who provide similar definitions; key points to the socio-cultural, political, and economic trends, and a growth in inter-dependence of national economies. Globalisation also can be regarded as “the direct consequence of the expansion of European cultures across the world via settlement, colonialization and cultural mimesis” (Waters, 1995, p.3). As explained earlier, globalisation has an effect in many ways. This essay will focus on the positive impact of globalisation on higher education (HE). It will first look at the role of English at university, it will then briefly analyze the development introduce by information technology (IT), and after that it will describe about the multinationalisation, which may lead to an increase in opportunity and inequality in HE in the future.
The Role of English
“English is the Latin of the 21st century” (Altbach, 2004, p.9), this statement makes English become the most important language and the main role in HE. English is the main medium of communication, research, scholarship and journals (Altbach, 2004), which make the student who intended to study abroad prefer to learn or improve their English-language skills in the native-country (OECD, 2014);
The use of English is central for communicating knowledge worldwide, for instruction even in countries where English is not the language of higher education, and for cross-border degree arrangements and other programme… English is the main medium of instruction in many of the most prominent academic systems… The role of English affects higher education policy and the work of individual students and scholars. (Altbach, 2004, p.9-10)
The prevalence of predominantly English-speaking destinations, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, in part reflects the progressive adoption of English as a global language. It may also reflect the fact that students intending to study abroad are likely to have learned English in their home country or wish to improve their English-language skills through immersion in a native English-speaking context. (OECD, 2014, p.345)
Thus far, the thesis has argued that English is one of the strongest impacts of globalization. It is ubiquitous (Albatch, 2004), which make it become the beginning of a chain reaction in developing HE. While English becomes more and more important, more scholar want to learn. It is a required skill for HE and is necessary for studying, finding and extending the range of knowledge. Scholars who have not enough English skill seem to have low chance to attend to some of international universities, which may result in inadequate learning for them. The raising in number of international students is abvious (OECD, 2014). Certainly, there is no better place to learn English more than English-speaking countries. International students have to live in the different environment, and English is the only language they can use to communicate with the others. Apart from the knowledge, they will also have an opportunity to acquire English skill, social skill and living experience that they cannot find in the classroom.
The Development of Information Technology (IT)
Globalisation also gave more opportunities by making the improvement in the information technology (IT). With the significantly greater use of technology, the Internet serves as a key for globalised knowledge and communication (Wildavsky, 2010; Altbach, 2004). Altbach (2004) holds the view that IT is changing academic institutions in the way of teaching and learning;
Academic institutions are beginning to use IT to deliver degree programmes and other curricula to students outside the campus. Distance education is rapidly growing both within countries and internationally. IT is beginning to shape teaching and learning and is affeccting the management of academic institutions. (p.19)
The information, once was written or printed on the paper before selling or giving to students, can be found on the internet without any cost or border, except on some website. The database on the internet is worldwide, easy to access and more various, compare to the paper which was limited by instructors. This development also made an improvement in the distance education, which can be consider to be a new way to learn and give more opportunity for international students to learning from overseas universities or self-study via computers.
The Multinationalisation
Globalisation, in another word, is the aggregation of the world that form the multinationalisation, which is the corporation between countries in various ways, such as economic and education. For the role in HE, the multinationalisation can be defined as academic programmes that offering from one nation to other nations, which conduct to the growth of various higher education initiatives (Altbach, 2004) and impel some governments and universities to develop their outright academic protectionism (Wildavsky, 2010);
The emergence of a global education marketplace exhibits itself in the form of a variety of multinational higher education initiatives – ranging from "twinning" programmes linking academic institutions or programmes in one country with counterparts in another to universities in one country setting up branch campuses in another. (Altbach, 2004, p.16)
The growing number of internationally mobile students, intent on finding excellence in research and teaching, have begun to create a world in which, to an unprecedented extent, talent can be identified and find the best possible academic home… Some governments and universities around the world have responded to the growth of cross-border higher education with outright academic protectionism. (Wildavsky, 2010, p.1-2)
The increase in the number of international students in each year urged English-speaking countries to develop their academic systems, in order to support those learners and to become role models for other countries (Altbach, 2004). The twinning programmes gave more choices for scholars who cannot study overseas or prefer to stay in their home countries to learn in international syllabus. This development will definitely increase the opportunities for examinees from non-English-speaking countries to become international student and gain more academic knowledge whether in international universities or local universities.
The Increase in Inequality
So far this paper has focused on the opportunities, the following section will state about the inequality from the impact of globalisation on HE. The role of English, the improving information technology and the multinationalisation did not create only more opportunities but also extend the gap in the inequality in HE. This inequality was created by an unequal in the technology, education, wealth and human resources between developed and developing countries (Altbach, 2004; OECD, 2014; Yang, 2003);
The world of globalised higher education is highly unequal. Concentrating on developing countries and on smaller academic systems immediately raises the spectre of inequality. While the Internet and other manifestations of globalisation are heralded as bringing knowledge equality to the world, the evidence is mixed. (Altbach, 2004, p.6-7)
Changes in the income distribution towards greater inequality are increasingly determined by the distribution of education and skills in societies. Across OECD countries, 73% of people without an upper secondary education nd themselves at or below the median level of earnings, while only 27% of university graduates do. (OECD, 2014, p.14)
The opportunities and rewards of globalisation spread unequally and inequitably – concentrating power and wealth in a select group of people, nations and corporations, while marginalising the others… Social tensions and conflicts are ignited when there are extremes of inequality between the marginal and the powerful (Yang, 2003, p.272-274)
In particular, developed countries have more influence and knowledge to develop their countries rapidly, while developing countries cannot pursue.
Conclusion
In summary, the opportunities far outweigh the inequality. [mark to add more; compare between opportunities and inequality, stand with the opportunities, students get more chance to learn in better education > get back to home country > use the knowledge to improve and develop their lives and their countries > decrease the inequality]