Emerging New Identities for Public Universities: Implications for the Postgraduate Programs in University of Malaya

Abstract

The past decade has seen an extensive evolution of the higher education landscape at the national and regional levels. The first part of this chapter presents the discussion that had taken place with management level personnel at one institution of higher learning each in Thailand, Vietnam, China, and Malaysia. The management personnel comprise a Vice-Chancellor, a Deputy Vice Chancellor, a Deputy President, Directors of the International offices, and a Director of Research Management office. Open-ended questions were asked during one to one interviews with the objective of seeking their individual perspectives on the higher education scene at their own universities and identify similar trends that may appear. These “trends” or discursive practices are representative of the universities’ emerging identities that unfold as they take on different roles from the traditional ones they used to play.