Two edges of Asia in a multipolar world: The interconnections between Chinese and Turkish higher education systems

Abstract

The global higher education space is becoming increasingly multipolar. Though the existing inequalities among national higher education systems persist, increased international connectivity and collaborations create new opportunities. This study examines the interconnections between the higher education systems of two countries located at the opposite edges of Asia: Turkey and China. It adopts an exploratory comparative perspective that is intended to inform a larger research design. The findings show that the two systems have risen rapidly in the last decade, though with distinct size and speed of growth. There is growing collaboration between the Chinese and Turkish higher education systems in terms of the rate of scientific paper co-authorships and student mobility. The study reveals that Chinese and Turkish higher education systems are breaking their dependence on the traditional 'Core' or 'Global North' countries and are overcoming the global language barriers. Nevertheless, while the two systems have developed and built further connectivity, this development is still at an early stage, and more needs to be done. More effort in increasing the interconnectivity between the two national higher education systems will not only benefit the two countries but will also contribute to the multipolar higher education arena at the global stage.

Keywords

• higher education
• comparative education
• Turkey
• China

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