Introduction
Abstract
No region has undergone as profound a transformation as Asia during the past halfcentury, from the 1970’s to the present. The unprecedented economic growth has driven major social and demographic changes and institutional reforms and, in most countries, has brought about greater political stability. The advent of a large middle class, coupled with the openness driven by economic imperatives, has contributed to greater interconnectedness among Asian states and between them and the rest of the world. Higher education was not estranged from these dynamics. On the contrary, at a time when economic growth seems to be related to knowledge production and advanced skills, Asian governments and citizens expect higher education institutions (HEIs) to create the conditions for the development of their countries and to train the future generation to be innovative and creative and to pursue sustainable growth.