Program Leader: Prof. John Fien
Program Manager: Assoc. Prof. Chris Ziguras

What are the key processes involved in learning about local and global social change? What are the consequences of the globalization of education?

This Program will focus firstly on the impact on cities of the internationalization of higher education in the Asia Pacific Region. International education is overwhelmingly an urban phenomenon, with the vast majority of students residing in urban centres before, during and after their international education experience. Whilst there is a great deal of research into international education policy, student experiences and institutional strategies, little research has been undertaken into international education’s impacts on the cities in which student, program and institutional mobility are highly concentrated. Foreign tertiary education institutions have made a large contribution to human capital development in many of the region’s cities, but the cumulative effects on these cities of decades of international education has not been studied in detail previously. Secondly, the Program will research the capacities and possibilities for cities engaging in sustainable learning. Collaboration across civil society, government, private and educational sectors can contribute to the sustainability of cities and communities through life-long learning. This program will develop and assess policies, programs and strategies for reorienting education for sustainability in cities and their hinterlands. An analysis will be undertaken of the strategies for enhancing the contributions that institutions such as universities, local and state governments, private companies and NGOs can make to sustainable cities and communities through learning-based change.