End of Empire for Western Universities?

world's young graduates

End of empire for Western universities? 

By the end of this decade, four out of every 10 of the world's young graduates are going to come from just two countries - China and India.

The projection from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows a far-reaching shift in the balance of graduate numbers, with the rising Asian economies accelerating ahead of the United States and western Europe.

The forecasts for the shape of the "global talent pool" in 2020 show China as rapidly expanding its graduate numbers - set to account for 29% of the world's graduates aged between 25 and 34.

The biggest faller is going to be the United States - down to 11% - and for the first time pushed into third place, behind India.

The US and the countries of the European Union combined are expected to account for little more than a quarter of young graduates.

Russia is also set to decline - its share of the world's graduates almost falling by half since the beginning of the century.

Indonesia, according to the OECD's projections, will rise into fifth place.

Degrees of change

Is this an end-of-empire moment?

Higher education has become the mirror and magnifier of economic performance - and in the post-World-War-II era, universities in the US, western Europe, Japan and Russia have dominated.

The US in particular has been the university superpower - in wealth, influence and until recently in raw numbers.

Up until 2000, the US still had a share of young graduates similar to China. And Japan had as big a proportion of young graduates as India.

Now China and India are the biggest players.

Their rise in graduate numbers reflects their changing ambitions - wanting to compete against advanced economies for high-skill, high-income employment.

Instead of offering low-cost manufacture, they are targeting the hi-tech professional jobs that have become the preserve of the Westernised middle classes.

Fivefold growth

As the OECD figures show, this is not simply a case of countries such as China expanding while others stand still.

Across the industrialised world, graduate numbers are increasing - just not as quickly as China, where they have risen fivefold in a decade.

The OECD notes that by 2020, China's young graduate population will be about the same as the total US population between the ages of 25 and 64.

This changing world map will see Brazil having a bigger share of graduates than Germany, Turkey more than Spain, Indonesia three times more than France.

The UK is bucking the trend, projected to increase its share from 3% in 2010 to 4% in 2020.

This push for more graduates has a clear economic purpose, says the OECD's analysis.

Enough jobs?

Shifting from "mass production to knowledge economy occupations" means improved employment rates and earnings - so there are "strong incentives" for countries to expand higher education.

But will there be enough graduate jobs to go round?

The OECD has tried to analyse this by looking at one aspect of the jobs market - science and technology-related occupations.

These jobs have grown rapidly - and the report suggests it is an example of how expanding higher education can generate new types of employment.

These science and technology jobs - for professionals and technicians - account for about four in every 10 jobs in some Scandinavian and northern European countries, the OECD suggests.

In contrast - and showing more of the old order - these technology jobs are only a small fraction of the workforce in China and India.

The OECD concludes that there are substantial economic benefits from investing in higher education - creating new jobs for the better-educated as unskilled manufacturing jobs disappear.

Quantity or quality?

The OECD forecast reveals the pace of growth in graduate numbers. But it does not show the quality or how this expansion will translate into economic impact.

There are other ways of mapping the changing distribution of knowledge.

A team at the University of Oxford's Internet Institute has produced a set of maps showing the "geography of the world's knowledge".

This measures how populations are consuming and producing information in the online world - mapping the level of internet use, the amount of user-generated material in Google, concentrations of academic activity and the geographical focus of Wikipedia articles.

And in contrast to the rise of the Asian economies, this tells a story of continuing Western cultural dominance.

"In raw numbers of undergraduates and PhDs, the Asian economies are racing ahead," says Prof Viktor Mayer-Schonberger, from the Oxford Internet Institute.

"But what's interesting is how the West persists in its positions of strength - because the West controls the institutions.

Mapping a new world

"There are more students in China than ever before - but they still use Western mechanisms to publish results, they accept the filters," says Prof Mayer-Schonberger.

"The big question will be whether the Chinese researchers can be as insightful as their Western counterparts - we don't know yet."

The maps also reveal how much Africa and South America are losing out in this new scramble for digital power.

Prof Mayer-Schonberger said he was "completely shocked" at the extent of the imbalance.

Another feature of the Oxford study is to show how research bases and their spin-out economic activity are clustered into relatively small areas.

In the US, says Prof Mayer-Schonberger, there is hugely disproportionate investment around Silicon Valley and the Boston area, with large tracts of "wasteland" between.

"Each era has its own distinct geography. In the information age, it's not dependent on roads or waterways, but on bases of knowledge.

"This is a new kind of industrial map. Instead of coal and steel it will be about universities and innovation."

Read more at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18646423

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Education Capitalization

Education Capitalization.

Education carried out by government and also private sector requires a real operating expenses height. Most all sector is relating to education must be bought. Book, chalk, ruler, and teaching aid readily uses for example, must be bought. Therefore, education requires cost.

Presumption like that not then is followed up with closing eyes and ear with interest places forward commercial factor than social. Education is not commodity, but effort carries out system and certain mechanism that man is able to improve; repair their/his self, can make balmy itself, and solvent of interaction as man.

Education paradigm growing in Indonesia in this XXI century step by step has started leaves aspiration of the founders this republic nation-state that is that every citizen entitled to get education that is competent. The republic founders aware to that performing of the education are addressed to makes man is humanitarianly and can make process towards at fullness of spirit hence would very ironic with situation of education these days.

The Role of the Government and Private sector

Education is responsibility of all suborder. By referring this assumption, education organizer is not merely government but also entangles the side of private sector individually and also group. Thereby, governmental hoped all members of publics responsible educate Indonesian.

Despitefully, because of limitation of cost, governmental given opportunity of it's bigger to public to participate and develops business through education. This assumption comprehended by public by building opening school, courses, or skilled education type with facility that is better than school build and owned government. By giving supporting facilities for education that is rather differs in, rather complete, and promises makes education managed the side of private sector must be redeemed with cost that is not is cheap. So expensive education.

Indonesia has ever owned Perguruan Taman Siswa carrying out education for public? People with motivation educate public? People. Indonesia also has education system of pesantren (Islamic models) which is not collects payment which in the form of money from it's the student. Student in pesantren modeled this salaf (classical) not only studies public sciences (like biology, physics, mathematics, language, and art) they also studies Islam science for the sake of individual and public.

Without realized already happened friction of motivation of organizer and the management of the existing education. Education organizer of private sector tends to sells dream with equipment of facility which they perform. They disregard condition of Indonesia public most doesn't have purchasing power and energy? Power to bargain. Pupil old fellow will be given on to reality "expensive school" and "go to school for rich man children".

Of course, must also be confessed that the school requires cost. However, collects expense of height for education is a real wrong deed; more than anything else in Constitution 1945 has expressed that any citizen [is] entitled to get education.

Capitalist: Having Under the Law

Shifts it purpose of education levying from formulated by the Republic of Indonesia founders is really peeping out suborder concern. If education only be carried out just for man who is having money, hence the biggest layer of Indonesia public? People will not have formal education. Poor people and people, who don't have purchasing power, will yield apathetic generation. Thereby, will lose also one civilization links a nation.

Education carried out with only menitikberatkan at present financial advantage will only make man is more individually and once in a while overrules that the man basically is created autonomous. Tendency and dependency to get it's (the capital returns will make education product to enable all ways, machiavelistical.

Other side, education system this time makes detached man from it's (the area and sometimes abstracted from its (the community root. Properly is critical that education system this time makes educative participant not autonomous and sometimes forgets spirit to as social creature or according to opinion Aristotle's that the man Zoon Politicon.

Semestinyalah had if education aimed at accomplishment of copartner ship standard (company) must be refused. Ideally, education must load agenda for "humanizes man" (humanization), non dehumanization. By collecting expense of height because law barium; by itself education has been transferred to accomplishment of industrial requirement. More than anything else in Indonesia, diploma is respectable reference and the only equipment to get work that is competent.

By positioning education carried out by government and also law barium private sector must, public trapped at acute dilemma. In one public sides requires education to increase it's the humanity reality, medium on the other side no cost is small monster or endless nightmare.

Tussle between fears and desire of public to send to school it's the children exploited by certain party sides. This condition is a real condition profits if evaluated from the aspect of business. Panic buyers are really condition hardly to the advantage of my pelaku-pela is business.

Opinion: Education is Sacral Factor

Indonesia Public till now still of opinion that formal education is equipment the only to improve; repair life, to get work with good production, good salary, and to fulfill primary requirements, beside can boost up degree. This assumption by generations and always is looked after causing peeps out assumption and places formal education as thing which sacral.

Though all formal education, vocational school is not interesting means. As it's (the impact, vocational schools teaching is skilled becoming not draws. Vocational school is school for member of marginal public. Vocational school teaching how facing and draws up life is assumed not elite and ancient. Despitefully, vocational school is not place of for rich man children, but majored for children from poor family.

Social Lameness as poison impact goad to school which only is enjoyed by rich man children will peep out oppressed feeling and not balmy among poor people. Poor public of which cannot send to school it's (the children will assume it as destiny which must be received and assumes it as penalization of God. Irony, of course. But this is reality when schools becomes is expensive and poor people [shall] no longer have place in school.

Minister of National Education in Indonesia for the existing likely increasingly far from nationality vision. Even with movement of schools autonomy increasingly clearly shows capitalization symptom of education. Now education is managed by using management of business that is then yields cost is sky. Expense of education more and more expensive, even impressed has become business commodity for the owner of capital (capitalist). By using pre-eminent school label, favorite school, peer school etcetera expense of education increasingly strangles poor people. Our education increasingly grinds marginal clan. Where situation of our education justice if certifiable school of that is just for they having money only?

While as man who sure is normal of public will choose best life. However, because of its (the disability and its (the kepicikan in looking at education problem, its (the objectivity is also disappears. Indonesia Public of course requires resuscitation that education is one essential part to improve; repair quality of it's (the humanity. Of course, there is no guarantee that education will make people to become rich, influential, famous, and in command.

Cover? Conclusion

Debate of length still need to be strived before Indonesia public can look into formal education as not the only equipment to improve; repair its(the life. Public must realize formal education is not as of its (the pitch.

Resuscitation need to be trained to pebisnis. School that is till now is viewed as the only equipment which able to be used to reach for and can realize its (the aspiration is not farm to get advantage. Therefore, not righteously school utilized as means to make a living. In school still and ought to slip between idealism, so that there is no reason again to expensive of education that is with quality, complete supporting facilities, and has various facilities.

Other alternative is publicizing intensively that non diploma required but ethos and hard work, motivates to build their/his self, and desires to live in better front must be inculcated early. Public must be awaked that becoming public servant is not the price of death.

Read more at http://ezinearticles.com/?Education-Capitalization&id=586504

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Why Australians Need to Learn Indonesian

Why Australians need to learn Indonesian.

David Hill, in his report Indonesian Language in Australian Universities: Strategies for a Stronger Future, states that enrollments in Indonesian language courses fell nationally by 40 percent from 2001 to 2010 and by 70 percent in New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state; with this downward trend still continuing today.

In fact, there was more interest in learning Indonesian in Australia in the 1960s than there is now.

In 2002, the Howard government axed an Asia-literacy program for Australian schools, with an estimated worth in today’s terms at just over AS$100 million (US$96.58 million) a year. The Rudd government, which succeeded Howard in late 2007, replaced the program, but on a much smaller financial scale of A$62 million over four years. Unfortunately the well-meant gesture was not enough to save the dire situation. The enthusiasm of the past had run out of steam.

However, does this really herald a worsening Australia-Indonesia relationship? Not necessarily worsening, but, rather, estranged.

Australia had a presence in Indonesian history during its role in the days of Indonesia’s struggle for independence. The Australian Waterside Workers’ Federation prevented Dutch ships, carrying troops and war supplies, from leaving Australian ports for Indonesian shores, where the Dutch were then trying to regain power. At the government level, Australia, through the UN’s Good Offices Committee, helped bring about Indonesia’s independence.

Parallel to that, genuine people-to-people contact developed on a small scale. Inter-country marriages took place. However at government level, Australia was motivated by more than just sympathy for Indonesia’s nationalism.

The policymakers were concerned about the growth of communism, and believed that if they did not play a significant role in the birth of the Indonesian nation, the communists would, as they seemed to be involved in the fight for independence.

It is important to remember that at the time, most Australians, especially those outside the power elite and academic circle, were not in the least interested in countries outside Great Britain, so Indonesia was only a blur in their consciousness, hardly distinguishable from other Southeast Asian and Pacific nations.

While among the historically aware minority — including those interested in regional security — the perception was that Indonesia was a fledgling nation needing assistance in every way, with some believing that unless Australia took concrete steps in understanding its neighbor, with their inevitable potential dangers and threats, it might not be in a position to defend itself if things did turn nasty.

Learning the language of neighbors became desirable. Within several years, linguists were trained to be proficient in these languages. An even smaller minority, academics among them, were following their personal fascination with Indonesia, its culture and its language. Their various works have been extremely important in Indonesian studies until today. In fact, their enthusiasm succeeded in infecting many students to follow suit.

Indonesian studies flourished in the 1960s. Increasing numbers of secondary schools throughout Australia were incorporating Indonesian language into their modern languages program.

Businesses, intentionally and unintentionally, benefitted from this development as Australian companies were gaining confidence investing in Indonesia.

In the late 1970s however, the situation took an unfortunate turn following the development in Timor Leste. As Timor Leste loomed into Australia’s political consciousness, Indonesia’s image continually worsened. And Indonesian studies fell out of favor.

The truth is that there was not enough time for a real friendship between the two countries to develop, let alone settle, or for a strong basis of mutual understanding to take roots.

The repressive New Order rule became the image of Indonesia, on the one hand desirable to the anti-communist conservative Australians — the government openly persecuting and prosecuting anyone remotely associated with left-wing ideology — and on the other hand, sinisterly expansionist to the activists of East Timor Leste’s independence.

Most of the former were not interested in learning or having their children learn Indonesian, so they were hardly advocating maintaining Indonesian in schools, and many of the latter held sway in the community.

It was easier, it appears, for people who had very little knowledge about a country and its people to readily believe that these people, evidently very different from themselves were bad and dangerous, all 200 million of them, than to seek information about what was happening in the country before making judgements.

Over decades, Australian businesses became aware of the emerging power of Asian countries: the Republic of Korea, China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Confident at first that they would be able to cut a swathe in these countries with the English language, they are now increasingly awake to the fact that it is necessary to arm themselves with local language proficiency if they want to go far in China, Indonesia and Vietnam. And since China provides the biggest potential, the revived interest in Asian language leans very heavily on Mandarin, while Indonesian is still lingering.

Something has emerged however, which puts Indonesia in the realm of limited public consciousness. With the news continuously bringing home the threat of terrorism from militant Muslim extremists around the world, the stories told by many experts that Indonesia is the home of moderate Muslims made an increasing number of Australians take notice.

Yes indeed, it is worth studying Indonesian. But is it really necessary to learn the language? They say.

One of the things many Australians agree on is how learning a foreign language is a waste of time, when everyone is doing their utmost to learn English. They know they are good at teaching English as a second language, so why not help Indonesians gain proficiency in English?

Good argument, except for the fact that it will never change the image that Indonesia is a relatively unknown entity which needs Australia’s help.

It is hardly a healthy base for a real friendship. And while it is crucial for developing strong and sustained economic ties, real friendships are a joy in themselves, because they broaden your horizon.

If you doubt this, I suggest you ask the primary and secondary school students in Indonesia and Australia who have been fortunate enough to participate in the BRIDGE project of the University of Melbourne’s Asia Education Foundation Asia-literate program.

I was nearly moved to tears last week when some of the students from Beveridge primary school in the outskirts of Melbourne told me, that in their regular online communication with their counterparts across the ocean, they learn a great deal from each other.

Learning each other’s language is obviously crucial. I am still trying to remember when I had heard that last. If this realization spreads at the primary school level, maybe there is hope yet for a real friendship to develop between Australia and Indonesia.

Read more at http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/06/02/why-australians-need-learn-indonesian.html

http://www.languagecorpsasia.com

United States And Indonesia Partnering for Higher Education

United States And Indonesia Partnering for Higher Education.

Nearly a year after the Obama administration set a priority of improving higher education exchanges with Indonesia, the U.S. is increasing its ‘commitment to cultural diplomacy’, writes Sara Schonhardt at Voice of America.

As part of the outreach, the administration aims to double the number of Indonesian students studying in the U.S., which officials say will help the U.S. economy and improve relations with the rapidly developing Muslim-majority nation.

Last June, to support university partnerships and student exchange programs, the Obama administration earmarked $165 million over five years. This would support subjects such as agriculture, business and information technology.

The U.S. is continuing to reach out to fast-growing economies like Indonesia and Vietnam as potential new markets for U.S. goods and services. International students injected nearly $19 billion into the U.S. economy last year, and Indonesia’s rising middle class could open new opportunities for U.S. universities to bring in more tuition dollars.

The U.S. says, in an attempt to improve understanding between the two countries, it also wants to send more American students to Indonesia. U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel said student exchanges create a “personal basis for better relations.”

But to entice more Indonesians to American schools, Marciel said the U.S. must research and market better:

    “We have to do a much better job of A, marketing our universities, which are the best in the world; and B, changing this terrible perception that you can’t get a student visa. So I’m literally almost out on the streets grabbing people as they walk by saying, ‘hey, we’ll give you a visa if you go study in America.’”

The number of Indonesians studying in the U.S. has fallen steadily over the last decade because the Asian financial crisis curtailed some families’ resources to send their kids to study in America. Visa issues also contributed to the drop in numbers, and it is still to rebound fully. Fewer than 7,000 Indonesians studied in the United States in 2010, down about eight percent from 2009.

With improvements in universities in Australia, Singapore and Malaysia, more Indonesians are choosing to study at cheaper options closer to home.

There is, however, the undeniable lure of quality: the U.S. is  home to many of the world’s most prestigious universities and research institutions. Many Indonesians who have studied abroad say the combination of strong academics and unique life experience from study in the United States is invaluable.

American officials say that improving educational opportunity is crucial to the economic growth and political stability of a key ally, writes Karin Fischer at the Chronicle.

“We can’t change the rainfall”, says Cameron R. Hume, the U.S. ambassador to Indonesia. “But we can change people. We can improve opportunity for a generation of young people”.

For Education Minister Mohammad Nur, the exchange is a part of enhanced cultural diplomacy that will help develop Indonesia and strengthen bilateral friendship, writes Schonhardt.

    “There is a lot of history behind Indonesia’s relationship with America, he said. That is why it needs to be strengthened. But Indonesia also wants to strengthen ties with Europe and other countries that can give it new insights.”

Some students, at the education fair, said it does not matter which country they study in, as long as they can afford it. Others said they want to experience life in the United States, as long as there are good scholarship opportunities, writes Schonhardt.

Read more at http://www.educationnews.org/higher-education/us-indonesia-partnering-for-higher-education/

http://www.languagecorpsasia.com

What do I need to Teach English as a Second Language in Asia?

What do I need to Teach English as a Second Language (ESL) in Asia?

What are the Job and Working Requirements for Foreigners in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Indonesia?

This is what I found out when I was laid off from work in Telecommunications in the US. My job had allowed me to travel to parts of Asia which included Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia and experience the culture and lifestyle while working there. So I considered teaching overseas for a better quality of life. Since I am a native English speaker the answer seemed obvious. Teach English.

Searching for TEFL and TESOL programs online raised many, many red flags. All it seemed was that this overwhelming information was a ploy to help me part ways from my hard earned money. I was read conflicting things from different places. Like you need a degree, yet somewhere else it would say you don’t need a degree. What did I really need?

While my wife and I were traveling in Cambodia, we visited with a principle at a University in Phnom Penh. He had worked as an English teacher in Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia for over 33 years. He gave me good guidance as to what would be required to teach English in Asia and to be totally legitimate with those countries foreigner worker regulation.

What I needed was:

1) TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language or TESOL - Teaching to English to Speakers of Other Languages

He said that I needed either a 120 hours TEFL, TESOL or CELTA Certification

University of Cambridge's CELTA and Trinity College London's CertTESOL. These two courses both have 120+ hours with 6+ hours supervised teaching.

He said that online TEFL or TESOL certificates weren’t considered as real training. They work out cheaper but you get what you pay for in the long run.

2) Clean Police Record Check

To teach you need to provide documentation of a clean police record from where you live. This can be obtained from your local police station within your country. It’s best to get the process started as soon as possible because it can take a few months.

3) University Degree

You need to also provide original documentation of a university degree and transcripts. As an aside for American's. In some parts of the world there are High Schools that are known as Colleges. You need to be careful to not be disqualified for this reason.

When you have all of your documentation in order you will be able to find work teaching English as a Second Language.

I received my TESOL certification because that is what the principle had done. I also took the course here in Vietnam. There are many courses all over the world. I could have taken it in Houston Texas, USA, but it was more expensive and the living expenses for one month was much higher than staying with my brother-in-law in Ho Chi Minh City.

Now all you have to do is to be able to find, separate and qualify the good and bad teaching jobs when you are in your search. Once you understand how to search for these positions and understand the pay scales, you can search for decent positions.

By Edward Hui

http://www.languagecorpsasia.com