Globalization and Higher Education

By C.N. Le

Sociologists and other scholars around the world are increasingly talking about how the world in general and American society in particular is becoming increasingly globalized. But to many students, these concepts are rather vague and abstract. With that in mind, I'd like to use two examples that relate to my areas of specialization -- Asian/Asian American culture and higher education -- to illustrate how globalization works in our society these days.

The first example concerns a Chinese-born immigrant who was educated in the U.S., became infatuated with American culture, then went back to China to start an American-style college for Chinese students:

The school has more than 16,000 students and nearly 50 buildings -- including a Roman amphitheater, French and Italian restaurants and an administration hall with a domed Capitol-like facade on one side and a Forbidden City tableau on the other. A swimming stadium, with an Olympic-size pool, is rising amid lotus and wheat fields.

The school's faculty of about 700 includes 119 foreign instructors, mainly from the U.S. They teach English, history and literature and help students with debate club, cheerleading and marching band -- things unheard of in this country. 

[Shawn] Chen went to the United States in 1985 and got a master's degree in education at Linfield College in Oregon. After attending a typical no-frills, monochrome college in China, he basked in campus life in the Pacific Northwest. . . . Chen was so taken by American culture he named his children Brandon and Brenda, after the two characters in the early 1990s TV hit "Beverly Hills, 90210."

In illustrating one example of globalization, this story is a great example of the kind of new Asian American identity that I've been doing more research on -- Asian Americans using their cross-national cultural ties to achieve success for both sides of their identity -- Asia and America. In the process their "foreignness" is an asset, rather than a liability.

The second example also involves Asian Americans, higher education, and international migration -- but in the opposite direction. We know that the competition to get into the top colleges and universities is quite intense these days. With that in mind, many Korean American students have decided to skip the U.S. entirely and instead, attend top universities in South Korea. 

A year ago, 19-year-old Korean-American Choi Joo-eun chose Korea's Yonsei University over the prestigious University of California system in her home state. Having gotten into both UC San Diego and UC Irvine, she had earned a place in two schools even many California teenagers dream of entering.

So far she has no regrets. On campus, she takes classes taught entirely in English while spending her spare time learning Korean culture and language. Off campus, Choi, who had never visited Korea before deciding to study here, keeps busy building a new network of friends and pursuing her dream of working for the United Nations one day. 

While it is well known that many Koreans opt out of the highly competitive race to get into a top local university like Yonsei for an American university, an increasing number of Korean-Americans and overseas-educated Koreans are heading in the opposite direction.

Still, regardless of Korea being the land of their parents, it is far from home, and the students have to overcome their share of hardship and difficulties in adjusting to a new country and culture.

The article highlights the many advantages associated with such a process -- reconnecting with one's ancestral ethnic roots, exposure to an international climate, and becoming bilingual in English and Korean. But as the last line of the quote above reveals, there can also be loneliness and cultural adjustment issues for those studying overseas.

This particular trend of Korean Americans "going back" to Korean schools is likely to accelerate in the coming years, as globalization continues to evolve and permeate more of American society.

But as the article points out, being Korean American does not automatically mean that you will have an easy time in Korea; being Asian and Asian American are two different things.

Nonetheless, being Korean American does provide another avenue of personal and academic enrichment, and that can be seen as an asset rather than a liability as we move forward into the 21st century.

Comments

[Dee]

"American society in particular is becoming increasingly globalized"

just one comment on this. I used to see it that way but i've changed my mind. I don't think America is globalizing its culture. America HAS NO culture lol... they lost it. That's why they like to convert, get divorced and take other cultures furniture.

Is America propegating it's "culture", or is it hasting what will be innevitably reached by all: that modern proletariat is democratic and united?

the west is in a state of anomie and the east is just behind in it's revollution.

America is globalizing our economy, but is it not the internet and this information era globalizing our culture?

[Dee]

If America was propegating it's culture, would we not be spreading Christianity? They've modernized too fast, it's anomic, their culture has been eroded.

sorry for double-post

[Taryn]

Education is important to the well being of society. Without education, we would not learn new things, advance technology, or find cures to help people. Education allows us to teach ourselves ideas and concept which benefit others. Getting a quality education is important. No matter which country a person is from, receiving the best education possible is always to the goal.

[Jacob Featherstone]

This is an excellent post! It does a great job of emphisizing the competitive and truely global world we now live in. Not only are American students competing in their high scools and around the U.S but all over the world! All to often we forget, that it is not simply our own community, or country, but an increasingly global world, one that will thrive on diversity and flexibility. Also, getting the right education is vital to be competitive and even to contribute to, again, an increasingly global society.
Good Post,
Jacob Featherstone

[Katie]

This is an interesting post. I am a student and I am becoming aware of the globalization happening around the world. At my school foreign exchange students are coming to America for a year or so then they go back home. I find this as an advantage to them because they have more knowledge about the history of World culture because they receive more than one perspective. Those that are, in example, Asian, opposed to Asian American, don't have as much as a globalization perspective because they have lessened variety in heritage background and they have to compete to further their careers opposed to Asian Americans where they have a wide choice of where to further their careers. I look forward to seeing how the effects of globalization affect education.

[khameed6272]

ohhh i did not know this blog was here I have to say I have don't exterem reaserach on higher education. American are at the bottom when it comes to promoting and investing in education. I often make a statement about how Oparah loves to give her money to higher education. Where is the tax write off for the UNITED STATES!!!!!! thrid world how have less money and resourse are better educated because they have to if they donot have the education how can they make it in life it is not about the money it is about education in thrid world!

[j turley]

i believe education is important no matter what country you are from. in high school we had several foreign exchange students and they learned our culture and took it home to thiers. without education, i couldnt imagine what our society would be like today!

[Rodney Watts]

I think that education is important no matter what country you are from so if you have an opportunity to get an education take the chance to get a degree.

[bmabry3509]

The article highlights the many advantages associated with such a process as reconnecting with one's ancestral ethnic roots, exposure to an international climate, and becoming bilingual in English and Korean. But some disadvantages are loneliness and cultural adjustment issues for those studying overseas.

[Ebony J]

I think higher learning is always important. it is good to know your cultural background and how things work. But it would be hard living in another country it would be lonely and they would have cultural adjustment issues.

[Emiley Cox]

I think everyone should know about their own culture as well a others. It is always helpful, but also interesting just to see how others lives are different from your own. It would be hard to live in another country. Their would be many adjustments just to the everyday living. But i think it would also be very fulfilling.

[A. Santillan]

Everyone one wants to go to the best school and some get in while other don't. I think that because other places see how much importance there is in eduacation in the U.S. they dont want to lose many people or are trying to gain people so they are starting to built more schools in the country. I think its hard for people to study overseas because they are so used to the American Style that they have to get used to a different style of living. However they will see all the wonderful thing that, that country has to offer. Things they can't enjoy in the U.S.

[Matt Ritten]

Some immigrants are going for higher education back to their homeland rather than the United States to get their education. The advantages of doing education overseas is learning new subjects and different viewpoints. The disadvantages are if you have lived in another country and you go to another country to go to school, the language barrier might be a problem.

[npullum]

Everyone should get an education in my opinion because out in the real world it going to be very hard without it

[Sunnie Norris]

Globalization impacts higher eduaction in the United States by allowing other outlooks on education to be considered. This broadens our outlook by allowing other views to be impacted in our society. This way we can take the good things about education and make use of them for our own good. There are advatages and disadvantages to studying overseas. some of the advantages are reconnecting with one's ancestral ethnic roots, exposure to an international climate, and becoming bilingual. This disadvantages include the competition that comes along with it.

[Chase Cotton]

The world is getting smaller and smaller everyday. With the constant sharing of cultures all over the world people are more similar now more than ever. With constant immigration to the U.S. it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a job. With the highly competitive society we live in today people are wanting to continue their education further than simply a high school education or a bachelor's degree. Studying overseas can benefit students by helping the student learn new languages and new ways to better their skills.

[Ethan]

Education is important no matter who you are. without it almost all things in life become harder. Life without education would certainly be difficult for all people.

[Sarah Connell]

Going to college is a new experience in its self, but going away to a different country makes it even more of an experience. Maybe more people choose to go away to a different country to gain a new perspective of the world, it is one of the first choices you have to make on your own. I believe more people would learn abroad if money wasn't an issue.

[karie wooten]

EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE FROM

[K. Stovall]

Globalization is impacting higher education because some students are choosing to take their education overseas, while others are taking what they have gained from American culture and spreading it in different countries. Some students studying overseas are getting to return to the land of their familes, while others are just getting to experience the new culture. The disadvantages are that they are far from home and have to adjust to a brand new culture.

[Wes Johnson]

Three words..Education is important. Without it is slim pickins' out there. If you can't beat em, join em. Studying overseas would be great if you wanted to get really far away from home, whereas if you were a home body it would be a disadvantage.

[joshua wade]

education is the key to making dreams a reality!!!!!

[kstevens]

i think the higher standred for the children overseas their goal is to come here to america the land of the free. to go for their dreams the overseas is so ungerdeveloped compaired to us so their past time is to study and get ready for our world unlkie us we are already here and most just do enough to just get by. the higheer education value is not pressed like it is overseas. over her many things are handed to children and they dont have to work for anything so the value of learning is out the window most but the ones that were not as lucky have to work and learn the old fasion way

[Tristen Loyd]

Studying overseas can be a good thing, and it can also be a bad thing. If you want to immerse yourself into another culture, then by all means, go to a university or college there, study and become like that specific culture. If you don't like being away from your native home, then stay and try to at least expand your education as much as you can. Education is an important thing that helps get better jobs, and can help us improve our ways of thinking.

[dthomas6104]

To all good pain... we must pay our bad in dues with pain. I feel that the thing we are looking to in this is change and how much can you tolerate the to study abroad an leads to culture shock and so on to that had it due with time and effect and on to your morals and principles thats what i think the question hangs. will you tolerate change education is key!

[Seth Cardwell]

The college experience in the United States is very vital in learning your own culture. It becomes, however, even more of a broader perspective when getting an education in another country. The disadvantage to learning over seas is the question of whether you are viewed as a friend or an intruder.

[Jaleesa Watkins]

Globalization is giving us more competition. Making us work harder for or grades and our jobs. Some advantages of studying overseas is learning a new culture and language, but the disadvantages are being homesick and unfamiliar with the surroundings.

[MYAH SIMMONS]

EDUCATION IS THE ONLY WAY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND SOCIETY AND THE WAY WE COPE WITH EVERYDAY LIVING. BY GETTING AN EDUCATION U OPEN MANY DOORS FOR YOURSELF AND THOSE IN YOUR FAMILY.

[Karen Lane]

As an American I would give anything to go to a different place in the world and get an education. It would be interesting to learn how they look at the world and their different perspectives. Life is precious to everyone in some way and to learn why it is for someone in a different culture, for me, would be so amazing. I would love to learn different skills and trades from another country. It would be nice to broaden my skills and knowledge.

[Kimberly King]

I love to see us coming together our various culture emerging. Just imagine a world that have a basic understanding of everybody's culture. Not only that but have integrated some cultures together. This globalization is a beautiful thing and I only wish that I could look like 200 years in the future is see the results.

[Jewell Johnson]

I read the article and I do not understand how the United States had some benifits from this. They feel the avatages is learning a new laguage and getting new ideas to help biuld their country. On the other hand they may feel loneliness because they may not be familar with their "home".

[Angela Mundy]

Globalization is impacting higher education because many students are wanting to come to American schools. They learned English and are partly American now. They are getting into American colleges that people dream of going to. Some advantages of studying oversees is learning new languages and seeing how different cultures work and operate, plus its a different environment to work in which you may be more successful in than at home. Some disadvantages would be the fact that you are away from your home country and you are not completely accepted into the culture you are living in while attending school.

[athomas]

As far as I can see Asian Americans do quite well in U.S. universities. They always seem to be the smartest in the class and get the best grades. I think it has something to do with whats wrong with our schools here in the United States. From the article overseas school are spectactular. On the other hand there are some pretty awsome institutions in the United States also. Foriegners get to experience various cultures and choose which one is appropriate. A lot of us do not get that option.

[mHunter]

It is impacting the U.S. by allowing people from other countries to come here and expericence a whole different sturcture. Vice versa also. An advantage to studying overseas is you might get something different than what you would have at home. A disadvantage would be you might not get the full potential out of it being completly new to a strange place.

[Abell4570]

It seems to me that globalization means people getting ideas from other countries to build their own countries. That may help them but it does nothing for the country that they took the idea from, unless there was more of an exchange of ideas rather than just taking them. Loneliness is a disadvantage that people face when studying overseas.

[bionca murray]

Education is important to the well being of society. Without education, we would not learn new things, advance technology, or find cures to help people. Education allows us to teach ourselves ideas and concept which benefit others. Getting a quality education is important. No matter which country a person is from, receiving the best education possible is always to the goal.

[cecile]

globalization is very powerful in the US higher education. It had become more opened to scholars from all over the world. One of the great consequence is exposure to an international climate and intercultural connection. Many international scholars come to USA because they think they will get more opportunities to attend better schools, receive the best education possible and, earn better careers. Scholars from the US tend to look overseas because of the cost of accurate higher education here. However, both parts have to handle the problem of adaptation to the new cultural, economical and social environment.

[Taylor Stacks]

Globalization isn't just an American issue at the moment. In a sense, huge countries like India and England, are going through the same thing. With things like outsourcing, people all over the world are striving to keep their jobs from being given to someone in another country. People who come from completely different cultures are competing for that job every single day. Ultimately, I believe the aspect of globalization in schools are preparing our generation for stiff competition among many different kinds of people from different back grounds in the future. It's helping us to become more well rounded.

[jliner]

I think that it is important for every student to know or study some types of forieghn languages and learn about them. It would open the eyes to many students and cultures to know what the rest of the world is doing and living. It could change the way many people think of them and maybe give us a bond to other cultures

[Bradley]

Opportunity to Study
In short, taking classes online and earning your degree online is no different than taking classes in person, it’s just that online classes are a more convenient way of accomplishing your goals. Get the promotion you always deserved or start that new career path that you always wanted to go down - It is now all possible through online degrees……….
higher education

[bhiser]

There's probably many good and bad aspects of going to school in a new environment such as an unfamiliar country.Personally if the cost were not so high I would love to travel afar to gain cultural knowledge and to benifit from different teaching styles. The decision is a difficult one to make and for the students who decided to go study out of their comfort zone I congratulate you.

[sally]

I think that America need to get more choices for students in the classroom. Education is a top priority that I hope will never fade. All of us need to keep this going and not let our children suffer from the lack of education.

[Perry]

Education is supposed to be used for the purpose to help mthose you are around and those whom live in your small personal village , the use of foreign student taking the education back home is priceless to there homeland , they have the experience of fast moving cukture in the USA, then expand those resources bound back on the homeland

[George Moore]

Education is very important. It can help someone achieve success. Through education,we learn a .lot

[George Moore]

Those studying aboad will miss their families and that could affect their studies. An advantage is that their USA dollar will be a great deal of money in the country, they are stuying, ant that should help them.

[George Moore]

Studying abroad can be very rewarding, as it grants one the opportunity to learn another culture. Also it is very educative,in terms that, the opportunity to learn about life in a different country is offered. I look at this as a truly rewarding venture.

[George.moore]

Higher education is very important and when one considers the inclusion of the global aspects, it is very rewarding. Globally, education is important and will continue to be.

[Janet]

Although studying abroad is a great opportunity for most, it can be very daunting for others that are away from their own culture and families. My question would be, "what is the student wanting to get out of their education from another country?" Are they wanting to to get a job with an international company? What is going to be the value of their learning in the end?

R/Janet