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The Palgrave Handbook of Asia Pacific Higher Education pp 297–314Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Higher Education Inequality in East and Southeast Asia

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Abstract

Inequality of educational opportunity can be seen from three aspects: access, treatment, and results. In previous literature, there has been less focus on the results aspect than on the access and treatment aspects. In this chapter, we critically examine the literature on inequality of education in all three aspects in East and Southeast Asian countries through the lens of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis. Our aim is to develop a simple system archetype for the higher education systems in East and Southeast Asia for the interactions between the feedback loops (Forrester 1961) between the equality of access, equality of treatment, and equality of results. We hope to find a leverage point in the system where “small” changes can produce “big” results.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Prompilai Buasuwan

  2. Thailand Development Research Institute, Bangkok, Thailand

    Wanwisa Suebnusorn

Authors
  1. Prompilai Buasuwan
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  2. Wanwisa Suebnusorn
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California, USA

    Christopher S. Collins

  2. The HEAD Foundation, Singapore, Singapore

    Molly N.N. Lee

  3. Education Department, East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    John N. Hawkins

  4. Education Department, East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    Deane E. Neubauer

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Buasuwan, P., Suebnusorn, W. (2016). Higher Education Inequality in East and Southeast Asia. In: Collins, C., Lee, M., Hawkins, J., Neubauer, D. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Asia Pacific Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-48739-1_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-48739-1_20

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-48739-1

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