ABSTRACT
Intra-Asian higher education mobility is a relatively new phenomenon in Asia and one triggered by the dynamic economic changes occurring in East Asia, propelled by state policies towards higher education, and sustained by a strong interest among Asian youths to move overseas in search of education and a broader experience. While reviewing pertinent literature in this field, this chapter uses findings from a unique mixed-method study conducted among international students studying in flagship universities to illustrate diverse higher education migration experiences in East Asia. From this study, we chose three cases: China, a rising global economic and political power, South Korea, an economic and cultural power, and Singapore, a cosmopolitan city state. These cases illustrate the interplay between national policies, university characteristics, attractions of the cities where these universities are located and the varied motives of the students.
