Brunei Darussalam

Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan

Land Area: 5,765 sq.km
Population: 413,000 (UN, 2012)
Language: Malay, English, Chinese
Religion: Islam, Buddhism, Christianity
Currency: B$ (Bruneian Dollar)
Major Industries: Crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products
Education System: Higher education system of Brunei Darussalam, post-secondary education consists of
a number of educational options, most of which offer varying levels and types of certificates, diplomas
and degrees(university only). Although hierarchical distinctions of types of post- secondary education
may seem arbitrary, by the very nature and structure of courses offered within each tertiary institution, it
would seem more useful to consider the university system of UBD as the only higher education system of
Brunei Darussalam. To date, the university is the only institution offering 'degree' level programmes and
the certificates and diplomas offered by other named institutions (i.e.;primarily synonymous with TVE
institutions) are generally of a lower level to those offered at UBD. Top of the TVE institution ranking are
BTEC HND or BTEC HNC programmes offered by ITB and these qualifications may only normally
entitle entry into the second year (at the maximum) of the University program. UBD is a public State
University and it was fully operational in 1985 following His Majesty's 'Titah' or royal command. 2
Coordination of higher education and institutional governance Although subsumed under the Ministry of
Education, following the Constitution of Brunei Darussalam, the administration of UBD is quite
autonomous from the Ministry of Education. This is not to say that there are no links with the Ministry.
Administratively, UBD is self-governing and it follows organizational structures that are commonly
adopted by universities in the Commonwealth, where the Vice-Chancellor is the principal executive and
academic officer of the university. The Chancellor of the University is His Majesty the Sultan and Yang
Di Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. There are 2 main bodies in university governance; the University
Council and the Senate. The University Council is the executive body and consequently, the main
governing body of UBD
Cambodia

Capital: Phnom Penh

Land Area: 181,035 sq.km
Population: 14.5 million (UN, 2012)
Language: Khmer
Religion: Buddhism
Currency: Riel
Major Industries: Clothing, timber, rubber
Education System: Higher education in Cambodia was one of the areas most severely affected by the
events of recent years. Despite an unstable political situation. The Cambodian Government throughout the
1980's reestablished its institutions of higher education. A network of 9 public higher education
institutions have been established which provide for instruction in areas such as agriculture, medicine,
economics, industry, technology, teacher training, science, art and culture. A further fifteen technical and
professional training institutions (specialized secondary schools) also offer tertiary level courses lasting
for periods of 2 to 3 years for upper secondary school graduates. All higher education institutions
providing degree programs are public. Although Cambodia is economically weak, higher education is
almost completely free. Students, whether poor or rich, pay nothing for tuition. Apart from a recently
established private university providing degree programmes, there are a few private institutions providing
tertiary level courses which are non-degree programs. Post-secondary and higher education institutions
receive their authority to function and to grant degrees from the Council of Ministers. This authority is
granted by a sub decree of the Council of Ministers. The Ministry of Education , Youth and Sport has
overall responsibility for establishing national policies and curriculum guidelines. All institutions receive
financial support from the government,basically for salaries, but this financial support is quite limited and
it does not allow institutions to develop.
Indonesia

Capital: Jakarta
Land Area: 1.9 million sq km
Population: 242.8 million (UN, 2012)
Language: Bahasa Indonesia
Religion: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Catholism and Christianity
Currency: Rupiah
Major Industries: Oil and gas, plywood, textiles, rubber, palm oil
Education System: Indonesia's commitment to the further development of education is based on the
recognition that development goes hand-in-hand with advancement in science and technology. There are
currently 51 state/public universities (including several teacher training institutions), 26 state/public
polytechnics (engineering, commerce and agriculture) and 1,328 private higher education institutions
(including academies, polytechnics and teacher training institutions). Besides, there are also Islamic
higher education institutions (both private and state/public) which are under the control of the Ministry of
Religious Affairs. Coordination of higher education The coordination is done by the Ministry of
Education and Culture except for the Islamic higher education institutions as described earlier. The
Minister of Education and Culture then delegates the authority in these higher education matters to the
Directorate General of Higher Education. Institutional governance At each higher education institution
there is a body called a Senate which acts as a normative body to the institution. Every major decision
including degree and diploma granting procedures should be approved by the Senate.
Lao People's Democratic Republic

Capital: Vientiane
Land Area: 236,800 sq km
Population: 6.4 million (UN, 2012)
Language: Lao
Religion: Buddhism
Currency: Kip
Major Industries: Clothing, timber products, coffee, gold, copper, electricity
Education System: Higher education institutions are public and are managed by the governmentdirectly.
The Department of Higher Technical and Vocational Education or HTVED (within MOE) is responsible
for management and coordination of the country's post-secondary sub-sector, including the overall
supervision and monitoring. As mentioned above, there are no private institutions that can award the high
degree level (at post-secondary level) in the country, except for a limited provision of vocational training
by proprietary schools. Some post-secondary institutions, such as the former Pedagogical University
which is now the Faculty of Education, NUOL, offer non-formal post-secondary education in various
areas such as language training providing general English courses up to ESP (English for Specific
Purposes) level. All faculties/institutions which provide higher education are not formally equal in contact
hours, for example, some subjects take more or less hours than the others. In addition, the study
programme of each institution/faculty varies in length as mentioned earlier.
Malaysia

Capital: Kuala Lumpur

Land Area: 329,847 sq km
Population: 29.3 million (UN, 2012)
Language: Malay, English, Chinese, Tamil
Religion: Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Taoism
Currency: Malaysian Ringgit
Major Industries: Electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, chemicals, palm oil, wood
and wood products, rubber, textiles
Education System: Institutions of higher learning in Malaysia provide opportunities to equip individuals
with knowledge, skills and professionalism to meet the need of national human resources for the national
development. The public and private institutions play important roles to fulfill the national needs. Besides
the public educational system, there also exists a widespread and expanding system of private institutions
ranging from kindergarten to university. These institutions mostly cater exclusively for local
examinations, especially the Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia--STPM (equivalent to A-Level) and
professional courses. The most recent development has been the introduction of twinning programmes
where a local college enters into an arrangement with a foreign university and provides the first stage of
the degree course in this country, while the final part is taken at the university concerned overseas. The
Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education functions as a secretariat which will coordinate
and monitor the activities of institutions of higher learning including public and private universities and
college education in Malaysia, while the administration of polytechnics falls under the jurisdiction of the
Technical and Vocational Education Division of the Ministry. Institutions of higher learning can be
classified into three categories: polytechnic, college and university. The Higher Education Department.
Myanmar

Capital: Yangon
Land Area: 676,552 sq km
Population: 48.7 million (UN, 2012)
Language: Burmese
Religion: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam
Currency: Kyat
Major Industries: Teak, pulses and beans, prawns, fish, rice, opiates, oil and gas
Education System: There are 163 higher education institutions in Myanmar. Among them, 66
institutions are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education while 97 institutions are under 11 other
ministries and the Union of Civil Services Board. All the higher education institutions are state-financed
and they specialize in varied fields and offer a variety of programmes – undergraduate, postgraduate
diploma, master’s degree programmes and doctorate programmes. Higher education institutions under the
Ministry of Education have also established Centres for Human Resource Development that offer re-
education and retraining human resource development programmes ranging from short-term certificate
programmes to master’s degree programmes. There are two Departments of Higher Education – one for
lower Myanmar and one for upper Myanmar. These two departments are responsible for administration
and co-ordination of higher education institutions under the Ministry of Education. Although higher
education institutions function under the administration of different ministries, academic and
administrative policy matters relating to higher education are managed by the two councils chaired by the
Minister for Education. They are the Universities’ Central Council, and the Council of University
Academic Bodies. The Universities’ Central Council is principally responsible for the framing of broad
policy and co-ordination of the work of higher education institutions while the responsibility of the
Council of University Academic Bodies lies in the adoption of academic regulations and co-ordination of
academic work.
Philippines

Capital: Manila
Land Area: 300,000 sq.km
Population: 96.5 million
Language: Filipino, English, Spanish
Religion: Catholic Christianity, Islam
Currency: Peso
Major Industries: Electrical machinery, clothing, food and live animals, chemicals, timber products
Education System: There are presently 1,282 higher education institutions in the country, broken down
into: 98 state universities and colleges, 105 Commission on Higher Education (CHED)-supervised
institutions, 35 local universities and colleges, 14 other government schools, and 1,030 private
institutions. State universities and colleges (SUCs) are institutions funded by the national government.
They have their own charters and are thus autonomous from CHED. CHED-supervised institutions are
non-chartered colleges, directly under the supervision of CHED and whose annual budget allocation is
integrated in the government budget appropriation for CHED. Local universities and colleges previously
called community colleges are those operated, supported and maintained by local government units. In
addition, there are other government schools offering bachelor's degrees and/or graduate degrees and
advanced training such as military and police academies which are supervised and regulated by the
Department of National Defense and Philippine National Police. Private institutions, on the other hand,
are owned and administered by private individuals, groups or corporations. These are classified either as
sectarian or non-sectarian colleges and universities. Sectarian schools are usually non-stock, non-profit
institutions, owned and operated by religious orders. Non-sectarian schools are owned by private
corporations which are not affiliated to any religious organizations, majority are stock, a few are non-
stock, non-profit corporations, and a number are foundations. The CHED oversees the higher education
system. It is an agency attached to the Office of the President of the Philippines for administrative
purposes. CHED is responsible for administering and supervising both public and private higher
education institutions in the Philippines. Higher education institutions establish and maintain their own
internal organization. The framework of their organization is generally divided into two areas, namely:
policy formulation and policy implementation. The formulation and/or approval of all policies, rules and
standards in the school is the main function of the Governing Board. The implementation of policies and
the management of the school operations are vested in the administration headed by the President.
Singapore

Capital: Singapore
Land Area: 660 sq km
Population: 5.3 million
Language: English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil
Religion: Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism
Currency: Singapore Dollar (S$)
Major Industries: Electronics, chemicals, banking & finance, real estate, tourism, trading
Education System: The Ministry of Education (MOE) is responsible for the co-ordination of education
for Singapore. All post-secondary programs offered by public and nonpublic institutions or organisations
must be approved by the MOE, Higher Education Division. The MOE also plays a significant role in
establishing policy for public higher education institutions. Higher education institutions can be
categorised into public and non-public institutions or organisations. Public institutions are established by
individual Public Acts. The institutions are operationally autonomous, self-governing, and confer degrees,
diplomas, and/or certificates. Policy guidelines for admission standards, enrolment levels, student
payments, etc. are the purview of the Ministry of Education (MOE). The MOE approves requests for new
programs and program changes. In addition, the MOE recommends the annual budget for public support
of higher education to the Parliament. The public sector offers a comprehensive range of postsecondary
education and training opportunities. Thai higher education institutions can be divided into three types:
the universities, the polytechnics, and the technical training institute. The structure of institutional
governance is very similar among the universities and polytechnics and is defined in the Public Acts
establishing the individual institutions. Each institution is governed and managed by a Council which is
appointed either by the Chancellor of the universities (the President of Singapore) or the Minister-in-
charge of the polytechnics. The Council for a particular institution includes the President of the university
or the Principal of the polytechnic and representatives from the administration and faculty of the
institution, the Government, and the private sector. The Public Act also establishes a Senate or Academic
Board which is responsible for the control and direction of academic programs, research, and
examination, and has the power to award degrees, diplomas and certificates.
Thailand

Capital: Bangkok
Land Area: 513,115 sq km
Population: 69.9 million
Language: Thai
Religion: Buddhism, Islam
Currency: Baht
Major Industries: Food including rice, seafood and live animals, office equipment, textiles and clothing,
rubber
Education System: Thai higher education institutions can be classified into four categories: public
universities, private universities and colleges under the supervision of the Ministry of University Affairs,
institutes and colleges under the other ministries, and specialized training institutions. The Ministry of
University Affairs supervises and coordinates public universities and institutes, and private universities
and colleges. The Ministry of University Affairs is also responsible for formulating educational policy
within the framework of the national education development plan. Other responsibilities include
standardization of curricula and recommending areas for budget allocations. Each public university or
institute has its own Act empowering the University Council to function as the governing body. Under the
University Council is the President who is responsible for university administration. The President will
operate the university or institute according to the policy laid down by the University Council. The
University Council is empowered to grant degrees, graduate certificates, diplomas and certificates at the
institutional level. For private higher education institutions, each private institution has its own council
which is the administrative body responsible for the general functioning of the institution as well as
organizing its internal administrative structure. The Council provides policy guidance for long-term
planning and formulates control procedures. It also allocates funds and screens proposed budgets as well
as curriculum design and revisions. The Council functions include the setting up of new academic
disciplines, appointment or removal of chief executives, and approval of degree and diploma conferment.
The Private Institution Council like the University Council, approves and grants degrees and diplomas.
Vietnam

Capital: Hanoi
Land Area: 329,247 sq km
Population: 89.7 million
Language: Vietnamese
Religion: Buddhism, Christianity
Currency: Dong
Major Industries: Petroleum, rice, coffee, clothing, fish
Education System: The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) manages directly 30 important
higher education institutions (including allocation of the budget, and decisions on personnel and
function). Two newly established Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City National Universities are more or less
autonomous. Other ministries (especially Health, Culture and Art) supervise the related monodisciplinary
institutions. The provincial authorities govern the junior colleges in their territories. The undergraduate
level has been divided into two phases : first phase mainly for general education, the second phase for
professional education. The MOET will give the core curriculum for the first phase, will approve the
establishment of new majors, the exam regulation and the granting of degrees. The MOET will also
allocate budgets to major research projects and monitor the implementation. However, all institutions are
under the management of MOET regarding the academic aspect, despite the fact that they are under the
direct supervision of provinces or other ministries; this means the MOET will promulgate and manage the
admission regulations, the general structure of curricula, the exams and the granting of degrees. The
organizational structure of a higher education mono- disciplinary institution in Vietnam. The multi-
disciplinary university is a new model in Vietnam and their organizational structure is in the process of
investigation. Community colleges should be established to meet the manpower resources of each
community and their organizational structure is also being investigated. At present there is not a full
system of legal documents, stipulating the management relationship between institutions and the MOET,
for example the scope for autonomous governance by the institutions. Regarding the academic aspect, the
MOET has given general requirements for teaching programmes (total number of credits, curriculum of
general higher education for the first phase, percentages of knowledge areas: general, majors and
concentrations).