Strategies of Foreign Universities on the ASEAN Educational Market

Abstract

ASEAN is characterized by a steady growth of the economy, a growing middle class and a large population of school age, it is one of the most promising growing markets for the export of educational services. The scale of student mobility from this region has been constantly increasing. At the same time, there is a noticeable trend towards the diversification of its geography with the emergence of new destinations and the weakening positions of traditional countries like the USA, France and Germany. The ASEAN is becoming promising not only as the largest donor of foreign students, but also as a notable player in the global educational market as a study destination. Special attention is given to the analysis of the markets of Singapore and Malaysia, as the largest regional educational hubs. The strategies of these countries are based on the creation of special economic zones in the field of education, thereby attracting leading foreign universities. This approach has a positive effect on the quality of education, increasing the attractiveness of the country as a study destination. The purpose of this article is to analyze the specifics of the strategies of foreign universities in the ASEAN countries in order to identify the potential for export of educational services by Russian universities. The strategies of foreign universities are based on a number of mechanisms, such as setting up international branch campuses in ASEAN countries, opening joint universities and operating through the franchise system. The article identifies the main problems which constrain the expansion of Russian