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The role of education in ‘successful’ globalisation

East Asia experienced phenomenal economic growth from the 1960s to 1990s and integrated successfully into the global economy. Japan and the East Asian ‘tigers’ are widely regarded as examples of ‘beneficial’ globalisation. What evidence is there from these countries of education’s role in positive forms of global integration? What role can education play in helping less developed countries engage successfully with the global economy?

Globalisation has increased the importance of trade, foreign investment and the transfer of technology. As a result, education and skills are taking on an increasingly central role. The countries that have been the most ‘successful’ when it comes to globalisation are those that have achieved the most favourable terms of engagement with the global economy. ‘Successful’ engagement with the global economy can loosely be defined as export-led economic growth, plus income equality and peace. Education is an essential requirement for this.

Research by the UK’s Department for International Development examines the role of education in successful engagement with the global economy, with a regional focus on East Asia and a developing country focus on China, India, Kenya and Sri Lanka. It considers the common characteristics of the path of development taken by Japan and the East Asian tiger economies – Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan – and looks at the role of education in relation to strategies and action taken in other sectors. It also identifies the moment when each country chose to integrate its economy more strongly with the global economy and assesses their progress towards the goals of successful engagement.

The research shows that within each country, the relationships between education, economic growth and social outcomes are complex.

While education is not necessarily the main factor, it is important in achieving successful forms of globalisation.
Education is a necessary component of development but economic and political policies are more important.
There is no ‘quick fix’ education solution for all aspects of development in all countries at all times.

There are five important policies for economic growth when it comes to a country’s recent past and present, and these are common to all the countries studied:

high quality education en masse, to bring marginalised and rural people into the national development agenda
expansion of secondary, technical and higher education to create the skills needed for economic growth
development of communication skills for international economic transactions
fair expansion of education to increase its contribution to social equality
awareness of the potential of education institutions’ official and hidden curricula to promote positive (and also negative) contributions to national unity.

The study finds that where globalising states have managed to engage favourably with the global economy, gaining wide economic and social benefits, this has largely been due to their own national efforts. Education has a doubly important role to play in securing the most favourable terms of engagement with the global economy and the most productive relationships between local, national and international resources for development. Educated people tend to make the decisions and policies that influence economic globalisation and international agreements. Education provides people with the skills and values needed to succeed in economic globalisation and the minimising its negative impacts.

Source(s):
‘Education and Development in a Global Era: Strategies for ‘Successful Globalisation’’, Department for International Development Education Papers 69, DFID: London, by Andy Green, Angela W Little, Sangeeta G. Kamat, Moses Oketch and Edward Vickers, 2007 (PDF) Full document.
Further details about this research project ‘Globalisation, Education and Development’ Full document.

Funded by: UK Department for International Development

id21 Research Highlight: 5 April 2008

Further Information:
Andy Green
Institute of Education
University of London
20 Bedford Way
London WC1H 0AL
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 20 76126760
Fax: +44 20 76126632
Contact the contributor: andy.green@ioe.ac.uk

Institute of Education, University of London, UK

Angela W Little
Institute of Education
University of London
20 Bedford Way
London WC1H 0AL
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 20 76126623
Fax: +44 20 30738310
Contact the contributor: a.little@ioe.ac.uk

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