The IIEP launched a regional project in the year 2000 to analyze the extent and nature of changes affecting the education sector during the period of economic crisis in East Asia. The project carried out case studies in some of the high-performing Asian economies. Five countries from regions varying from the least to the most affected, on the basis of the decline in export earnings and the rate of growth of GDP in 1998, were identified. These countries are Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Thailand and Indonesia in the order of the least to the most affected countries. The case studies involved analyzing macro-level policy changes and institutional-level responses during the period of higher education. The Institute, in collaboration with the SEAMEO RIHED, Bangkok, and Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Malaysia, organized a Policy Forum from 29 to 31 January 2001. The Policy Forum brought together researchers including authors of the case studies and policy-makers from the countries of the region. The present volume is based on the selected papers presented at the Policy Forum. The first paper provides an overview of major changes in the higher education sector in the selected countries consequent upon the economic crisis in the region. The subsequent papers analyze the crisis and its impact on higher education in individual countries.
