Transforming higher education in South-east Asia
The higher education sector in South-east Asia is on the cusp of a revolution as it moves closer towards a policy vision that would position the region as a global hub for academic collaboration and transnational education (TNE).
Endorsed by the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the South-east Asia Ministers of Education Organization in a joint declaration in 2024, the Common Space in South-east Asian Higher Education is a framework that articulates a shared vision for region-wide collaboration.
With technical and policy support from the British Council, funded by the European Union through the Support to Higher Education in ASEAN Region (SHARE) programme, the Common Space promotes alignment across the region’s higher education sector around pillars such as academic quality, mobility and inclusivity.
South-east Asia currently represents one of the biggest global shares of internationally mobile students. The Common Space initiative can expand opportunities to meet this increasing demand for world-class education within the region. It supports ASEAN’s growth agenda, enabling nations to address skills gaps as they meet the challenges of the 21st-century’s digitalised economy, widening access to high-quality education and diversifying the qualifications available to students.
“ASEAN is building what few regions outside of Europe have managed – the operating system of a regional higher education market,” says Summer Xia, country director for Indonesia and director of South-east Asia at the British Council. “Now we have that in ASEAN. That is something that really stands out.”
This Common Space model features various mechanisms for bringing the ASEAN higher education sector’s credit transfers, qualification referencing and quality assurance into alignment. “It is still a work in progress,” says Xia. “But it fundamentally changes how students and institutions within ASEAN behave at scale. They don’t just operate on a national level. Now they think regionally.”
Roger Chao Jr., international higher education expert and consultant for EU SHARE, believes there is real momentum behind the project. The British Council’s engagement is vital to building the sector’s capacity for internationalisation and drafting policies that support TNE.
“Internationalisation cannot happen without national level engagement and buy-in,” says Chao. “The engagement of the British Council for so long in various ASEAN member states, and particularly higher education and transnational higher education, is significant to making the success of the Common Space possible.”
This is a paradigm shift for the region and presents a huge opportunity for UK universities to operate in a stable and transparent regulatory environment that promotes TNE. The ASEAN-UK Dialogue Partnership was finalised in 2021, marking its fifth anniversary in 2026. In that time, the British Council has worked with policymakers to create a sustainable model for delivering high-quality TNE. Collaborations among institutions in the UK and South-east Asia offers students in the region more opportunities to gain qualifications from UK universities with fewer administrative and logistical hurdles.
Xia addresses the question of whether the experience students receive through TNE programmes matches the academic quality offered on UK campuses. “And what we are saying is yes. Even better, this will take on board the local context and make sure the quality of teaching and learning is visibly assured through different mechanisms we have in the UK system so that graduates can secure fantastic jobs,” he says.
International higher education partnerships are reshaping opportunities for young people in Asia, with many UK universities already providing successful TNE programmes in Malaysia and Singapore. Building on this strong foundation, the UK higher education sector is exploring opportunities for growth in countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.
The British Council can lean on long-lasting relationships with policymakers to advise on policies that support innovation in higher education and drive systemic change, such as dedicated scholarships to boost the numbers of women studying STEM subjects.
In January 2026, the British Council convened a round table in London, where Prabowo Subianto, the president of Indonesia, met with a delegation of UK higher education leaders. He shared his vision for strengthening engagement between the countries and building 10 new world-class universities in Indonesia in partnership with UK institutions.
Similarly, in the Philippines, there are now policies to invite investment from international university partners. “Regulations are being reviewed towards opening up in favour of branch campuses,” says Chao. “There are significant reviews in terms of how we engage TNE partnerships – particularly how they can support the Philippine Development Plan.”
These advances pave the way for more innovation in South-east Asian higher education, enabling nations to respond to challenges and accelerate economic growth. UK universities with a willingness to collaborate and pool resources with local communities can find opportunities to expand their international presence in a region developing at pace.
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