Cultural Challenges Facing East Asian Higher Education: A Preliminary Assessment

Abstract

East Asia’s recent progress in higher education has been widely acknowledged. Yet, assessment of its future development is open to question. To some, East Asian universities are leaping ahead to even challenge Western supremacy. To others, it will soon reach a “glass ceiling.” Few have been able to theorize East Asia’s higher education development. Questions remain about the true potential of East Asia’s universities and whether they can truly break the Western hegemony. Based on both the author’s intimate knowledge of East Asian societies and his longstanding professional observation, this chapter assesses the future development of East Asian higher education systems by tracing their cultural roots.