Regionalization and harmonization of higher education in Asia Easier said than done

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to see if economic regionalization in Asia is a trend for the future, and if it heralds educational regionalization, thus uniting economic internationalization and education. Design/methodology/approach - This has been shown to be the case in the European Union where it is still a work in progress and may well be sliding backward, and it is certainly the case in Asia where despite or perhaps because of the plethora of regional organizations (well over 100), policies and programs, to say nothing of the continuing historical tensions between nations and sub-regions, the process of harmonization has lurched along and questions remain as to its long-term substance. Findings - It is suggested that the proposition of these goals is much easier than the implementation for a variety of political, economic, and cultural reasons. Originality/value - In this study a conceptual framework utilizing the concepts of centripetal and centrifugal forces is introduced to facilitate a focus on the forces and factors affecting regionalization and harmonization of higher education in the Asian region.