Foreword

The Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) was established in April 2017 by fifteen representative universities in Asia. This publication, the first of the AUA annual series entitled Asian Higher Education Outlook (AHEO), is dedicated to the faculty, administrators, and students who have been instrumental in the development of higher education in Asia. AHEO is a public report designed to articulate the development of higher education in Asia and showcase experiences and best practices of AUA members. University administrators, faculty members, and researchers of higher education from around the world, as well as policy and industry stakeholders, among others, may find the report to be insightful, timely and valuable.

The 2018 AHEO Report explores the nature of the creation and direction of the AUA. It offers a preliminary analysis of the key themes in the landscape of Asian higher education development in recent years. The themes encompass massification of teaching, internationalization, local-to-global engagement, innovation and entrepreneurship, and development in higher education studies. Moreover, the study also explores the expectations, challenges, and current collaborations among universities that join to form AUA. In this way, AHEO 2018 sets the scene for the establishment and direction of the AUA. It represents a joint effort in deliberating the rationale and mission of AUA through the collective and individual strength and expectations of its members. Some poignant questions addressed include: Why Asia? Why those universities? How has an alliance such as AUA come about?

As the report indicates, further work is needed, and already planned. It is essential to study the direction and achievements of Asian higher education, showcase innovative developments of Asian universities, and engage the key stakeholders in dialogue about the future of universities in Asia and the world.

The AHEO is a collaborative effort of AUA universities and experts in Asian higher education studies. My heartfelt thanks go to the AHEO 2018 research group led by Professor SHI Jinghuan and Dr. ZHONG Zhou of the Institute of Education, Tsinghua University, and Professor Kevin McConkey, Emeritus Professor of University of New South Wales, Australia. Our special thanks also extend to those experts who contributed their energy, expertise, and enthusiasm. Finally, and most importantly, I must extend my gratitude to all AUA universities that participated in the AHEO survey. This study would not have been possible without your inspiration and support.

QIU Yong

President, Asian Universities Alliance

President, Tsinghua University