Towards global citizenship–role of cross border higher education across the ASEAN region

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region has been experiencing a vibrant economy with heavy investment in higher education as an economic development driver. Being home to over 630 million people and more than 7,000 higher education institutions (HEIs) and over 12 million students, it was critical to evaluate the role of cross-border higher education in the region. This study aimed to investigate the factors and motivations contributing to the success and efficacy of cross-border higher education in the ASEAN region. Additionally, it sought to examine the impact of cross-border education on the development of global citizenship. A quantitative study was conducted using secondary data from the repositories of the World Bank and UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). Data was analyzed using descriptive visualizations and regression analysis. Results indicated variations in HEIs investments, with Brunei having the least. Many students moved from the ASEAN region to seek higher education in other regions, with Vietnam having the highest number of 137,022 students. The majority of these ASEAN countries have more than 10,000 higher education students' abroad. The United States, Australia, and Japan were the significant destinies of students from the ASEAN region. Government expenditure on tertiary education, gross domestic product (GDP), tertiary school enrolment, and GDP growth rate were found to have a significant influence on cross-border higher education mobility. Policy recommendations were the development of international collaborations, cross-border partnerships, and cross-national harmonization to enhance the partnership and mobility of higher education students in the ASEAN region.